Promotion for Guildford’s MP? – Extensive Speculation in the National Press

Published on: 4 Jan, 2018
Updated on: 4 Jan, 2018

The Rt Hon Anne Milton MP

Guildford’s MP, Anne Milton, has told The Guildford Dragon NEWS that extensive press speculation about her promotion to a cabinet post should be treated with care.

She said: “I think the only thing I can say is that there is always a lot of press speculation but often based on little real information.” She often advises local meetings not to believe everything they read in the newspapers.

A Cabinet reshuffle is expected in the next few weeks following the sacking of Damian Green over a porn cover-up, the third cabinet departure within two months. Press reports in The Daily Express, The Daily Telegraph, The Times and The Sun are suggesting that Prime Minister Theresa May intends to improve the gender balance in the cabinet by promoting more women to cabinet roles. The 21-strong Cabinet currently only has five female members.

Anne Milton, who was a nurse before entering politics, is being touted as the next health secretary, replacing Jeremy Hunt, MP for neighbouring constituency South West Surrey. Overseeing the running of the National Health Service would be seen as one of the most responsible and challenging of political roles, constantly in the spotlight.

But Ms Milton is known to care deeply about health care and is believed to have been sad to have been moved from her former job as minister of public health in 2012, a move she publicly took on the chin.

Some felt Milton, respected as an effective government whip, was unlucky not to be promoted, in November, following the resignation of Piri Patel, the former international aid secretary. Julian Hands, Milton’s replacement as deputy chief whip, a post she occupied until the general election in June, moved up to the cabinet rank of chief whip when Gavin Williamson was promoted to become defence secretary.

Another factor in any reshuffle will be the balance of former Brexit supporters and opponents. Milton broke the news to The Guildford Dragon in the early hours of June 24 that she had voted to Remain. But she is thought to have done so with some reluctance and is known to recognise the disadvantages as well as the advantages of EU membership.

During the campaign, she remained publicly neutral while chairing local hustings to allow campaigners to make their case to voters in the Guildford constituency.

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