Gordon Brown has announced he intends to step down as an MP next year.
At a meeting with his Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency, the former Labour prime minister said he was planning on focusing on charity work and his role as a special envoy for global education at the United Nations, Sky News reported.
The 63-year-old said on Monday evening: "Even after a week of speculation, it is a strange experience to read your obituary before you have retired," he said.
"Today I have my say, tomorrow the newspapers will have their say, and then history will have its say.
"I am in no doubt, it is the right thing to do. A new person with new ideas, new vision, new insight, a new person to stand for this constituency, representing the Labour Party at the next General Election.
"It is a London I am leaving. For the avoidance of any doubt, I am not going back Westminster, not to the House of Commons after the General Election and not to the House of Lords.
"It is Fife, where our home is, where our children, Sean and Fraser are happily at school, where I will do the new and extended work as a United Nations' special envoy."
Original story:
Gordon Brown will confirm today that he will step down as an MP at the next general election.
It is believed that the former prime minister, 63, will announce his resignation this evening in a speech in his constituency in Fife, the BBC reported.
Brown was leader of the country between 2007 and 2010, after taking over from Tony Blair. He also served as the second-longest continuous chancellor of the exchequer from 1997 until 2007.
Although Brown is now only rarely seen voting in the Commons, he was at the forefront of the pro-union Better Together campaign during the Scottish referendum.
In particular, he delivered a passionate speech in Glasgow the day before Scotland went to the polls. During the speech, he spoke about being proud of both the Scottish identity and how Scotland and the rest of the UK had worked together against fascism, as well as talking about the risks of independence.
Gordon Brown's barnstorming speech has secured the 'No' vote once and for all imo. Where was this passion when he was PM?
During the referendum campaign, Brown did not refrain from taking a strong stance against Alex Salmond and the Scottish National party.
In one speech, he said the SNP's planned cuts would destroy the NHS in Scotland, and that inequality would only rise if Salmond was Scotland's leader. He also said Salmond had only the "president of North Korea and Rupert Murdoch" on his side.
Many people have come out in support of Brown.
Gordon Brown 'to stand down' as MP http://t.co/EKiF8dOYNI If true its good to end on a high! Proud of Brown no matter what people say. #Lab
Listening to Gordon Brown cant understand why he isnt the leader not milliband, he is without doubt a great orator!
Thanks to Gordon Brown's strong statesmanship, the UK was saved, devolved powers are on schedule and a promise is being kept to Scotland.