George Osborne MP will not be campaigning for re-election in Tatton in Cheshire.
The former Tory Chancellor had been juggling the role of MP with being editor of a newspaper since accepting the top job at the London Evening Standard.
Mr Osborne has represented the Cheshire constituency since 2001.
He has been described as the man behind the Northern Powerhouse agenda.
In a letter to Conservatives in Tatton, he wrote: “I am stepping down from the House of Commons - for now.
“But I will remain active in the debate about our country’s future and on the issues I care about, like the success of the Northern Powerhouse.
“I want a Britain that is free, open, diverse and works with other nations to defend our democratic values in the world.”
There had been speculation Mr Osborne would be seeking a move to a constituency closer to his new job in 2020.
It has not yet been announced who will be standing in Tatton for the Conservatives on June 8.
Mr Osborne said: “I will go on fighting for the Britain I love from the editor’s chair of a great newspaper. It’s still too early to be writing my memoirs.
“At the age of 45, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life just being an ex-Chancellor. I want new challenges.
“I’m very excited about the opportunity to edit the Evening Standard. I’ve met the team there, and their energy and commitment to this great newspaper are positively infectious.”
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