Anne Milton
Encyclopedia
Anne Frances Milton is a British
Conservative Party
politician and former nurse who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Guildford
since 2005
. After service on the Health Select Committee, in November 2006 she was appointed Shadow Minister for Tourism. In July 2007 she was appointed Shadow Health Minister. She is currently parliamentary under-secretary of state for health as part of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government.
Grammar School (became Haywards Heath Sixth Form College in 1980, then Central Sussex College
Sixth Form Campus in 2005) on Harlands Road in West Sussex
. She married Neil Milton in 1979 in Haywards Heath, whom she later divorced. She trained as a nurse at St Bartholomew's Hospital
in London and worked for the NHS
for 25 years, as a district nurse
and for people requiring palliative care
. Her husband, Dr Graham Henderson, whom she married in February 2000 in Surrey, also works in the NHS in the field of community medicine, and is Director of Public Health for the East Surrey PCT. She has four children, including a son born in July 1987 and a daughter born in August 1993
1999–2004 and led the Conservative Group on the council. She was a member of the South East England Regional Assembly
and Vice Chairman of the Conservative Medical Society. She applied to go on the Conservative Party's list of Parliamentary candidates in 1999, and was rated highly by the party. In the selection for Bexhill and Battle in August 2000 and at Bridgwater
, she was among the three finalists but lost out narrowly and did not find another seat for the 2001 general election
.
, a seat which the Conservatives had unexpectedly lost in 2001 to the Liberal Democrats. This was one of the first selections to be made and Milton stood out not only because few women had been selected. Her connection to health care, an area in which the Conservatives felt weak, and her lack of interest in issues such as British membership of the European Union
and asylum-seekers, meant that she was thought of as a member of the modernising wing of the Conservative Party.
Following Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith
's 2003 conference speech, Milton was interviewed in the Sunday Herald
newspaper published in Glasgow. She stated that the priority she heard from the people of Guildford was crime, but lamented the poor press reaction to Duncan Smith's speech. After Duncan Smith was defeated in a vote of confidence among Conservative MPs, she immediately backed Michael Howard
as the new leader; following his election, she played host to his wife Sandra on a campaign trip to Guildford.
in the 2005 general election
, prompted not only by the fact that the seat was highly marginal but also by the relatively rare phenomenon of two female candidates from major parties contesting a seat. Milton highlighted Conservative plans to abolish regional planning bodies and reduce the amount of new housing built in the area, especially on green field sites. The then sitting Liberal Democrat MP Sue Doughty
highlighted the fact that Milton lived outside the constituency, in Reigate
, prompting Milton to respond, "It isn't in Tierra del Fuego
!". Milton won by just 347 votes, after two recounts.
in the Conservative Party leadership election on 11 October 2005, becoming the 29th Conservative MP to support him. She offered herself as a candidate for the 1922 Committee
executive in January 2006 but was not elected.
In February 2006, Milton was among a minority of Conservative MPs to oppose exceptions for private clubs from the proposed Smoking ban in England
. Milton had previously announced her opposition to a partial ban, stating it was "the worst possible solution". In summer 2007 David Cameron appointed her Shadow Minister for Health. Milton emerged well from the 2009 MPs expenses scandal
, being deemed a Daily Telegraph "saint" for not claiming any money for her second home despite her constituency being 30 miles from Westminster.
Milton retained her seat in the 2010 general election, increasing her majority to 14 per cent.
In August 2010, Milton, in a letter to Scottish Public Health Minister Shona Robison
, discussed the idea of withdrawing the scheme which gives free-milk
to the under 5s. Any idea that the move was policy, itself reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher
's withdrawing of milk from 7 to 11 year olds in 1971, was quickly quashed by Number 10; with Prime Minister David Cameron stating that he "did not like" the idea of removing milk from children.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician and former nurse who has been the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Guildford
Guildford (UK Parliament constituency)
Guildford is a county constituency in Surrey which returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system....
since 2005
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
. After service on the Health Select Committee, in November 2006 she was appointed Shadow Minister for Tourism. In July 2007 she was appointed Shadow Health Minister. She is currently parliamentary under-secretary of state for health as part of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government.
Professional life
Milton was educated at Haywards HeathHaywards Heath
-Climate:Haywards Heath experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Rail:Haywards Heath railway station is a major station on the Brighton Main Line...
Grammar School (became Haywards Heath Sixth Form College in 1980, then Central Sussex College
Central Sussex College
Central Sussex College is a college of further education in West Sussex. It has campuses across West Sussex and offers courses ranging from Sixth form and Adult education to undergraduate courses through partnerships with universities.-History:...
Sixth Form Campus in 2005) on Harlands Road in West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
. She married Neil Milton in 1979 in Haywards Heath, whom she later divorced. She trained as a nurse at St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
in London and worked for the NHS
National Health Service (England)
The National Health Service or NHS is the publicly funded healthcare system in England. It is both the largest and oldest single-payer healthcare system in the world. It is able to function in the way that it does because it is primarily funded through the general taxation system, similar to how...
for 25 years, as a district nurse
District nurse
District Nurses are senior nurses who manage care within the community, leading teams of community nurses and support workers. Typically much of their work involves visiting house-bound patients to provide advice and care, for example, palliative care, wound management, catheter and continence...
and for people requiring palliative care
Palliative care
Palliative care is a specialized area of healthcare that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients...
. Her husband, Dr Graham Henderson, whom she married in February 2000 in Surrey, also works in the NHS in the field of community medicine, and is Director of Public Health for the East Surrey PCT. She has four children, including a son born in July 1987 and a daughter born in August 1993
Political experience
Milton was a councillor in the Borough of Reigate and BansteadReigate and Banstead
Reigate and Banstead is a local government district with borough status in east Surrey England. It covers the towns of Reigate, Banstead, Redhill and Horley....
1999–2004 and led the Conservative Group on the council. She was a member of the South East England Regional Assembly
South East England Regional Assembly
South East England Regional Assembly was the regional assembly for the South East England region of the United Kingdom . Regional Assemblies are described in the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 as "Regional Chambers" and their function of consultation is shown in Section 8 of the Act...
and Vice Chairman of the Conservative Medical Society. She applied to go on the Conservative Party's list of Parliamentary candidates in 1999, and was rated highly by the party. In the selection for Bexhill and Battle in August 2000 and at Bridgwater
Bridgwater (UK Parliament constituency)
Bridgwater was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, until 2010 when it was replaced by the Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency...
, she was among the three finalists but lost out narrowly and did not find another seat for the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
.
Guildford
In 2002, Milton was selected for GuildfordGuildford (UK Parliament constituency)
Guildford is a county constituency in Surrey which returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system....
, a seat which the Conservatives had unexpectedly lost in 2001 to the Liberal Democrats. This was one of the first selections to be made and Milton stood out not only because few women had been selected. Her connection to health care, an area in which the Conservatives felt weak, and her lack of interest in issues such as British membership of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and asylum-seekers, meant that she was thought of as a member of the modernising wing of the Conservative Party.
Following Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith
Iain Duncan Smith
George Iain Duncan Smith is a British Conservative politician. He is currently the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and was previously leader of the Conservative Party from September 2001 to October 2003...
's 2003 conference speech, Milton was interviewed in the Sunday Herald
Sunday Herald
The Sunday Herald is a Scottish Sunday newspaper launched on 7 February 1999. The ABC audited circulation in April 2011 showed sales of 31,123.From the start it has combined a centre-left stance with support for Scottish devolution...
newspaper published in Glasgow. She stated that the priority she heard from the people of Guildford was crime, but lamented the poor press reaction to Duncan Smith's speech. After Duncan Smith was defeated in a vote of confidence among Conservative MPs, she immediately backed Michael Howard
Michael Howard
Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
as the new leader; following his election, she played host to his wife Sandra on a campaign trip to Guildford.
2005 general election
There was a good deal of interest in the result at GuildfordGuildford (UK Parliament constituency)
Guildford is a county constituency in Surrey which returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system....
in the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, prompted not only by the fact that the seat was highly marginal but also by the relatively rare phenomenon of two female candidates from major parties contesting a seat. Milton highlighted Conservative plans to abolish regional planning bodies and reduce the amount of new housing built in the area, especially on green field sites. The then sitting Liberal Democrat MP Sue Doughty
Sue Doughty
Susan Kathleen Doughty, known as Sue Doughty, is a politician in the United Kingdom. She was Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Guildford .-Early life:...
highlighted the fact that Milton lived outside the constituency, in Reigate
Reigate
Reigate is a historic market town in Surrey, England, at the foot of the North Downs, and in the London commuter belt. It is one of the main constituents of the Borough of Reigate and Banstead...
, prompting Milton to respond, "It isn't in Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of a main island Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego divided between Chile and Argentina with an area of , and a group of smaller islands including Cape...
!". Milton won by just 347 votes, after two recounts.
Parliament
Once in Parliament, she was appointed to the Health Select Committee, serving until December 2006, following her appointment as Shadow Minister for Tourism. She announced her backing for David CameronDavid Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
in the Conservative Party leadership election on 11 October 2005, becoming the 29th Conservative MP to support him. She offered herself as a candidate for the 1922 Committee
1922 Committee
In British politics, the 1922 Committee is a committee of Conservative Members of Parliament. Voting membership is limited to backbench MPs although frontbench Conservative MPs have an open invitation to attend meetings. While the party was in opposition, frontbench MPs other than the party leader...
executive in January 2006 but was not elected.
In February 2006, Milton was among a minority of Conservative MPs to oppose exceptions for private clubs from the proposed Smoking ban in England
Smoking ban in England
A smoking ban in England and Wales, making it illegal to smoke in all enclosed public places and enclosed work places in England, came into force on 1 July 2007 as a consequence of the Health Act 2006...
. Milton had previously announced her opposition to a partial ban, stating it was "the worst possible solution". In summer 2007 David Cameron appointed her Shadow Minister for Health. Milton emerged well from the 2009 MPs expenses scandal
United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal
The United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal was a major political scandal triggered by the leak and subsequent publication by the Telegraph Group in 2009 of expense claims made by members of the United Kingdom Parliament over several years...
, being deemed a Daily Telegraph "saint" for not claiming any money for her second home despite her constituency being 30 miles from Westminster.
Milton retained her seat in the 2010 general election, increasing her majority to 14 per cent.
Controversy
In July 2010, Milton suggested that doctors should describe obese patients as 'fat' to encourage them to take responsibility for their condition. This was criticised by campaigners who pointed out that a clinical definition was being replaced with a subjective, pejorative term.In August 2010, Milton, in a letter to Scottish Public Health Minister Shona Robison
Shona Robison
Shona Robison is a Member of the Scottish Parliament for Dundee East. She was elected as a Scottish National Party candidate in the 2003 election...
, discussed the idea of withdrawing the scheme which gives free-milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
to the under 5s. Any idea that the move was policy, itself reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
's withdrawing of milk from 7 to 11 year olds in 1971, was quickly quashed by Number 10; with Prime Minister David Cameron stating that he "did not like" the idea of removing milk from children.