Esther McVey promoted in cabinet reshuffle but 'nothing changes' for constituents

by Lisa Reeves

Monday 8^th January 2018

Mon 8^th Jan 2018

Our MP Esther McVey has today been promoted from Deputy Chief Whip to Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Prompted by her sacking of Damian Green from his job as first secretary of state in December 2017, the prime minister Theresa May carried out a cabinet reshuffle today (Monday, 8th January).

Esther McVey, the former Employment Minister, was elected as the new MP for Tatton (with 58.6% of the vote) in June 2017.

Subsequently she returned to government in November 2017. Following the resignation of Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, the Prime Minister was forced to reshuffle her Government which saw Ms McVey taking on the role of Deputy Chief Whip.

Tatton MP Esther McVey said: "I am delighted to have been asked to be Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. As a previous Minister for Employment I am passionate about helping people find a job, fulfilling their potential and social mobility. But from the point of view of my constituents nothing changes, and I have always balanced being a Government Minister with being a constituency MP.

"I take pride and thoroughly enjoy the work I do in the constituency and that will continue. Like all MPs I am in Parliament during the week before heading home and starting a packed two days of constituency work, which this week includes spending a day shadowing Cheshire Police as your local MP, and I look forward to seeing first-hand the excellent work they do and the challenges they face. In addition to that I have individual constituent appointments and I have the privilege to go to the 18th East Cheshire Christmas Tree collection. The week after I will see the excellent work the 1st Knutsford Scouts are doing and then will chair a meeting of the Tatton Youth Advisory Board.

"I will still be doing all my constituency surgeries and work as I have done for the past seven months and look forward to meeting many more people as I do so. The work continues and we have made progress with transport links by setting up a working group looking at re-opening the Mid-Cheshire lines. This year we also need to focus on protecting our green belt, ensuring the school funding formula works for all schools in Tatton, addressing the concerns that have arisen in the Council recently and supporting all the exciting businesses and local groups in the constituency."

Tags:: Esther McVey

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Michael Widger

Monday 8^th January 2018 at 9:11 pm

So she has the poisoned chalice of Universal Credit to sort out. I'm sure her natural charm and empathy will be a great comfort to the disadvantaged members of our community.

DELETED ACCOUNT

Tuesday 9^th January 2018 at 8:35 am

I'm prepared to give her a chance. She has done some sensible things since taking over as constituency MP and is nobodies fool.

Chris Wigley

Tuesday 9^th January 2018 at 1:02 pm

At a time when a government has no overall majority a constituency MP can have a great deal of influence, however once in the cabinet they have to abide by collective responsibility and the voice of Tatton has been lost again.

Pete Taylor

Wednesday 10^th January 2018 at 4:51 pm

"Nothing changes", indeed it does not... Hamilton, Osborne... next...

I wonder if our new Secretary of State will have any time at all for her constituents:
https://ind.pn/2FpfBTw

And.. she has a bit of a hill to climb; this Telegraph piece from a couple of years ago might not be on her current CV:
http://bit.ly/2D1ez2U

I'm rather fed up with Politicians, is there anything good on the tele, apart from Dad's Army and Last of the Summer Wine?

Steve 'Buck' Taylor

Wednesday 10^th January 2018 at 6:15 pm

She has been our MP for about 5 minutes ends up as a minister, surely we need to see what she can do in the constituency first. We need her to sort out this CEC lot first, she has raised a query with the Crewe MP re CEC shennagins still no answer on that. For me the jury is still out, I would like to know what she did wrong to lose her seat on the Wirral? As Michael has said a 'Poison Chalice' is it that our useless PM could not get anyone else to take the post up. It's a bit of the tail wagging the dog with this reshuffle of the Cabinet. Esther McVey should get this lot sorted out first before taking up the position. Osborne Mk2 I'm afraid.

Julie Smith

Wednesday 10^th January 2018 at 7:55 pm

What a shame 'nothing changes for constituents' I was given the impression that she'd be hands on when it came to representing us. That was quite some months ago now though and nothing has transpired. She apparently took on board our concerns about non-existent public transport, lack of access at Handforth railway station, relocation of much needed services at Handforth Health Cenyre clinic,concerns regarding the chaos at CEC and I believe she lent support to objections regarding contentious planning applications. Nett results........NOTHING has changed for the constituents! I thought promotion was results based?

Gerald Norden

Wednesday 10^th January 2018 at 11:04 pm

It is unfair not to give Esther McVey, our elected M.P. a chance to prove her worth to her constituents. Thus far, in my view she has engaged with Tatton her constancy in a definite more able and positive way than her predecessor. We may not agree with the politics of her Party, but, the political system it is what it is, perhaps in time we will have, a form of proportional representation on a national level, but in the meantime, I am sure she will do her best for all her constituents, irrespective of their political views.
At least she was democratically elected by our present "not perfect" system, unlike those unelected, immovable, thousands, in the giant European Union machine, which operates to overrule the sovereignty of it's member countries.

Wednesday 10^th January 2018 at 11:34 pm

Um.... I refer you to my previous answer.....

Kathryn Blackburn

Thursday 11^th January 2018 at 9:00 am

At Pete Taylor. The Telegraph article you refer us to is actually praising Ms McVey albeit in a roundabout manner. And let's face it she wasn't going to be offered the safe seat of Tatton with its huge Conservative majority if she wasn't meant for higher office. How naïve are you ?

Thursday 11^th January 2018 at 5:06 pm

There lies the problem, a "safe seat" distorts the meaning of "democracy" as the true representation of the will of the national electorate - thus Sedgefield landed us with Blair!

Deleted Account

Saturday 13^th January 2018 at 4:00 pm

Hello Julie Lowe,

Last Summer, residents here met Esther McVey

This was part of our ongoing campaign to protect the Summerfields : Colshaw community leisure facilities from demolition by Lidl GmbH & replacement with an inappropriately big destination store feet from our homes.

If you remember, in December Cheshire East Northern Planning Committee deferred Lidl's planning application .

The application had earlier wisely been unanimously rejected by Wilmslow Town Council

We actually found Esther to be very hands on, knowledgeable & incisive. She proved really good to have on the residents side.

As Jackie Pass says, yes let's all give her a chance

.

Janet Taylor

Thursday 18^th January 2018 at 9:44 am

Martin Kitchen

That's all well and good but the gym still closed and the supermarket will probably still go ahead. Along with all the other developments she supported objection to.

I am awaiting a reply to a query regarding CEC, she is awaiting a reply from the head of the council, been quite a while now, how long will she wait before she takes some action to have the questions answered?

Sunday 21^st January 2018 at 12:28 pm

Hello Janet (Taylor)

Residents can only report we found that experience very encouraging

As for the threat to the Colshaw : Summerfields community leisure facilities, maybe have a read of this article from Lisa Reeeves

http://bit.ly/2DTEiY2

Regards,

Martin Kitchin

Sunday 21^st January 2018 at 12:38 pm

Hello Janet (again)

You say you are :-

"...awaiting a reply to a query regarding CEC, she is awaiting a reply from the head of the council, been quite a while now, how long will she wait before she takes some action to have the questions answered?"

Who is the "she " please, is it Esther or the head of the council and who is waiting for who and for how long ?

Could we maybe ask what the question is please and whether possibly this forum might be able to help you ?

Regards,

Martin Kitchin