Nick Hurd announced on Twitter last night that he was standing down from the Government after quitting his job as Minister for Civil Society in David Cameron's cabinet reshuffle.

The Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner MP told Get West London this morning, July 15: "It was a great honour to serve my country for four years as a Minister.

"I am very proud of what we got done and very touched by all the messages of thanks from the voluntary sector."

Anti-HS2 campaigners hope that now Mr Hurd is no longer a minister he will be more free to campaign for his constituents in Ruislip, Ickenham and Harefield.

Ruislip Against HS2 chairman Lottie Jones said: “We sincerely hope that he will now be able to take a stand on HS2.

“The reshuffle means that he is able to speak out more on HS2 for his constituents and we hope that he will. He has in the last few months seemed to pick it up a gear with HS2 and has been really looking into it.

“The feedback that we have had this morning in Ruislip and Harefield is that people are very pleased that now he is not in cabinet his hands are not tied and they expect him to do more for constituents on HS2.”

Mr Hurd , who joins other prominent cabinet members such as William Hague and Attorney General Dominic Grieve in losing his cabinet job, said: “My position on HS2 is the same.

"The current proposal is unacceptable. If we don’t get the changes we need then I will vote against it at the next stage. In the meantime I will throw everything at lobbying for those changes.

“After eight years on the front bench, I am now looking forward to getting my life back and having more time to spend in the constituency, and with a new baby, expected in September.”