Is Mick Bates retiring?

Was at a meeting in Welshpool tonight when I bumped into Edna Mopbucket, who does a bit of cleaning and tidying around the municipal offices of Wales. Edna works quietly and unobstusively - and often sees and hears snippets that she passes on to me. I could see she was bursting to share some gossip with me last night. And I could also see that it was a snippet about which she wasn't too happy. Anyway, in the end I wheedled it out of her. She reckons that the long standing Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire, Mick Bates has decided not to stand at the next Assembly Election, and will make an announcement shortly. Now even though Mick has always been my opponent in Montgomeryshire, and Edna is my best friend, I know that she carries a bit of a torch for him. I think its because Mick is a big powerful man, and Edna likes them that way. She's always had a touch of the 'hots' for Councillor Bob Mills in Powys, and Labour Assembly Member, Carl Sargeant as well - and both of them are powerful men. I told her I was a bit doubtful about the veracity of this bit of gossip, and that she ought to check up with Mick before going around telling people like me - because I'm just no good at keeping it to myself. I'm bound to let it slip somewhere.