President of Sinn Fein Gerry Adams has resigned from Westminster. This move came after Irish Prime Minster Brian Cowen confirmed that a general election would take place on March 11.

Adams plans to stand in County Louth. He has already stepped down from his Northern Ireland Assembly seat in West Belfast.

Adams was first elected to Parliament in 1983. He held the seat at last year’s election with 71.1 percent of the vote. He has been replaced by former hunger striker, Pat Sheehan.

Although he held a seat in Parliament for 22 years, he never stepped foot in the Commons chamber.