Time to go but how do you follow eight years as an MP?

With the dissolution of Parliament on the 11th April, he officially waves goodbye to his eight years on the green benches.

Parliamentary correspondent Daniel Bentley spoke to him as he prepared to turn his back on Westminster.

Eating a sandwich in one of the oak-panelled cafeterias of the Palace of Westminster, Ivor Caplin is clearly at home.

As he shares his thoughts with The Argus on his eight years in Parliament, MPs and peers constantly approach to wish him well for the future.

As the Chancellor of the Exchequer breezes out after lunch, the MP for Hove and Portslade and minister for veterans casually holds up a hand to say: "Hi Gordon".

As political careers go, first-name terms with the Chancellor and a ministerial brief represent a considerable degree of success.

It is certainly a long way from Mr Caplin's days as the leader of Hove Borough Council just ten years ago.

Which makes it all the more baffling that he suddenly decided last November to give it all up. Many of his colleagues and rivals remain bemused by the move after such a promising rise through the ranks since 1997.

Within 18 months of his election, he was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Margaret Beckett, then Leader of the Commons.

In the reshuffle following the 2001 General Election, he was given a job in the Government whips office. Two years later, he was made a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence.

With his ambition and loyalty to the Government, he might have been in line for further progress through the ministerial ranks should Labour hold on to power.

But the subject of his resignation is not one he wants to discuss much further, publicly at least.

He said: "These are personal decisions of what you want to do.

"I believe, after eight years as MP and two years as leader of the council, that ten years is sufficient time to hand over the reins.

"Having enjoyed every minute of what I've done, I didn't want to get to the stage where it was stale in a marginal seat, which could have been possible."

His decision to turn his back on ministerial life is even more beguiling for the fact that he has no stated ambition of what he wants to do post-Government.

When he announced his decision to stand down, he said there were other interests he would like to pursue.

Like his decision to quit, his plans remain of acute interest to acquaintances.

Our lunchtime chat is interrupted by a friendly peer who asks him what he is going to be doing.

There is still nothing concrete to announce, he insists, although that might change quite soon.

He said: "The fact I've not got something to do doesn't mean there aren't discussions in a number of different fields but I'm going to take my time. During the campaign there will be the opportunity to discuss my future with various people. It might be that things move on quite quickly.

"For many people in the private sector, the uncertainty of the election date, which is now known, made it quite difficult to make a decision."

So a private sector job is on the cards.

Might it be related to defence, his area of ministerial expertise for the last two years?

He has clearly discussed the prospect with his boss, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon. If he were to take a position related to his current job, he points out, there are certain strict processes he must go through.

He said: "I've given a commitment to the Secretary of State that I would abide by the rules that require me to do that.

"But there are a number of options and opportunities I'm looking at and I'm not in a hurry to make a final decision.

"But when I do I will be happy to share them with readers of The Argus, if they are interested still."

Modesty aside, it is unlikely Argus readers will forget him so quickly, whether it is for his legacy as council leader, MP, minister or even his controversial support for the Iraq war.

For his part, he is keen to be remembered for the same achievements his Labour colleagues will be reminding people of from now until polling day on May 5.

He said: "I'm confident about the seat being held by Labour because the people of the constituency recognise the importance of the economic stability that we have," he said.

"That has reduced unemployment, allowed extra spending on schools and hospitals, more police on the streets and a better environment generally.

"Go to any school in Hove and Portslade and you can see the buildings that have been built in the last eight years thanks to the work of this Government."

Of his involvement with the council, he points to municipal improvements such as the enhanced street scene which has followed the pedestrianisation of George Street.

He also celebrates the demolition of the "disgraceful housing" at Portland Gate and the redevelopment of the Old Market Centre, "now one of the premier concert venues in the South-East".

Politically, his resignation will not affect his loyalty to the Government and he wholeheartedly supports Celia Barlow, his successor as Labour's Parliamentary candidate for Hove.

Over the next four weeks he will be campaigning "like everyone else", although he will also have to juggle his ministerial duties, which he retains until the new Government is appointed after the election.

It will be a close race in Hove - his relatively late decision to quit has allowed Tory challenger Nicholas Boles to build a bigger profile than the Labour candidate in an extremely close marginal seat.

But Mrs Barlow can perhaps be grateful that it is even marginal. Before 1997, Hove had been Conservative since the constituency's creation in 1950.

It has become the stuff of legend that Tony Blair realised the extent of his landslide in 1997 when he was told that Hove was a Labour gain.

And the outgoing MP is evidently proud that this one-time stronghold of Conservatism is now relegated to 48th on the Tories' list of target seats.

Mr Caplin said: "In terms of political legacy, it's clear to me that the seat will always be marginal now - that's something that was achieved in 1997 and I think that will continue to be the case in the future."

Monday, April 11