Anne Milton ‘Shakes off Shackles’ of Party Politics to Stand as Independent

Published on: 5 Nov, 2019
Updated on: 5 Nov, 2019

Anne Milton

By Martin Giles

Anne Milton is to stand as an Independent candidate for Guildford, she told The Guildford Dragon NEWS today (November 5), to represent the constituency “without being bound by party politics”.

An announcement by the expelled Conservative MP, a former junior minister and deputy chief whip, had been expected after time ran out for the party whip to be restored. It was withdrawn because of her decision to support the “Benn Act” preventing a no-deal Brexit.

Ms Milton sent a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday (November 4) saying she no longer felt able to stand as a Conservative candidate.

She wrote: “Further to my response to the Chief Whip’s letter of 30 October asking me if I would like to appeal the decision to remove the Whip, I am writing to confirm that, with regret, I feel unable to stand as a Conservative Candidate in the forthcoming General Election.

“I voted against the Government to prevent us leaving the EU without a deal. As a former Deputy Chief Whip, I was fully aware of the consequences of my actions.”

Some believed the party had decided not to return the whip because of her continued lack of support in other votes but by declining to appeal she appears to have taken the decision out of their hands.

Ms Milton told The Dragon: “I want people in Guildford to have a choice at the General Election.

“I have a background outside politics, a wealth of experience and a strong track record of achievement. I want to represent my constituency without being bound by party politics.

“People have become increasingly frustrated by political parties and their inability to work together for the common good and I believe Guildford needs a credible alternative. That is why I am standing as an Independent candidate.”

Ms Milton, an NHS nurse for 25 years and a shop steward for the Royal College of Nursing during the 1980s.

She entered politics as a councillor for the Borough of Reigate and Banstead in 1999 and became council Conservative group leader from 2000 to 2003 as well as membership of the South East England Regional Assembly.

In 1999 she was shortlisted for the Conservative Parliamentary candidates in the selections for Bexhill and Battle and for Bridgwater but was not selected for the 2001 general election.

In 2005 she won selection for Guildford, a seat the Conservatives had unexpectedly lost in 2001 to Liberal Democrat Sue Doughty. Ms Milton won by just 347 votes.

During the 2010-2015 Parliament, she served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department of Health, then, as a result of a ministerial reshuffle under David Cameron in September 2012, Ms Milton was appointed a government whip.

In March 2015, she was appointed to the Privy Council and granted the title The Right Honourable. The Guildford Dragon was first to be told that she had voted to remain with the European Union in the June 2016 referendum.

Guildford election results 2010-2017. Wikipedia.

In the 2017 snap general election, maintaining a vote of 30,000, more than 50% of the votes cast, Ms Milton was re-elected as MP for Guildford.

After the election, she was selected as the Minister of State for Skills and Apprenticeships and the Minister for Women but resigned when Boris Johnson was voted in as leader of the Conservative Party and so Prime Minister.

Responses to Anne Milton ‘Shakes off Shackles’ of Party Politics to Stand as Independent

David Pillinger Reply

November 5, 2019 at 4:36 pm

Anne Milton is an example to politicians. As a member of the Conservative Party, she represented the true “One Nation” ethos.

Alas, the Conservatives are now throwing away their free-market credentials and are re-adopting the flag-waving and inward-looking vision of Britain that Mrs Thatcher thankfully shook off and which Ms Milton applauded. Gone is the attachment to free trade and the Single Market; gone is sensible economic management with a rash of populist spending promises under Boris Johnson’s party.

Ms Milton, like many true conservatively-minded voters, is no longer associating with a party that has thrown away its intellectual credibility in favour of a UKIP-esque view of the world. It is great that politicians like her are standing up to the fake populism of the two big parties.

People should seriously consider her message in this election.
George London Reply

November 5, 2019 at 5:24 pm

Anne Milton always struck me as a principled MP, and has always been a strong constituency MP answering letters that I have written to her on occasion.

I think she stands every chance of being re-elected as an independent, and good luck to her.

The Tories have spent the last few years trying to feed the UKIP tiger, hoping it would go away only to find it grew stronger. There are many people like me who have always voted Conservative but who can’t vote for them now.
Nils Christiansen Reply

November 5, 2019 at 8:29 pm

I say well done to Anne Milton for making a difficult and brave decision. The Conservative Party is undergoing a metamorphosis into UKIP-lite where one nation Tory values are no longer welcome.

The silent majority in Guildford who reject the extremes of both left and right now have someone to vote for on December 12th.

Nils Christiansen is a former Conservative and Independent borough councillor for Holy Trinity.
Jules Cranwell Reply

November 6, 2019 at 12:52 pm

My advice would be not to bother, either as a Tory or an Independent. She did nothing to challenge her local party over their ruinous Local Plan and does not deserve our vote.
Nick Studer Reply

November 6, 2019 at 5:45 pm

I believe we need good people like Anne Milton in Parliament. if there is going to be a realignment in politics, conscientious and real-world experienced people, closer to the political centre, will be needed.
Stuart Barnes Reply

November 7, 2019 at 8:51 am

It is really sad that Anne Milton has come to this final act of betrayal. In most ways she was a good local MP but her refusal to accept the clearly expressed democratic wish of the people to get out of the EU has driven her to abandon her Conservative principles.

However, we must look on the bright side in life; at least she will split the Remainer vote!
- David Pillinger Reply
  
  November 7, 2019 at 2:08 pm
  
  I don’t think she refused to accept the democratic right, she was trying to ensure it was enacted properly. A sensible free market Brexit rather than the closed economy little England Brexit of the flag wavers.
- David Pillinger Reply
  
  November 7, 2019 at 9:01 pm
  
  Or, more likely, split the Conservative vote, judging by the mood in the local party and among free market Conservative voters.
- David Haskins Reply
  
  November 9, 2019 at 10:43 am
  
  Her Guildford constituents “clearly expressed democratic wish” was 58.8% to remain and she did her best to not betray them.
John Perkins Reply

November 9, 2019 at 12:22 pm

Always amazed at how many still regard the referendum as having been a constituency affair.