Local MP delighted to return to Cabinet

by Lisa Reeves

Thursday 16^th November 2023

Thu 16^th Nov 2023

Tatton MP Esther McVey has returned to Cabinet after being handed a Government role in the Prime Minister's reshuffle this week.

Following the sacking of Suella Braverman, Rishi Sunak appointed Rt Hon Esther McVey as Minister without Portfolio, meaning she will be working across all government departments.

Ms McVey's exact responsibilities have not been clarified yet, but it has been reported that the GB News presenter has been tasked with tackling 'wokery' and will be known as 'minister of common sense'.

Esther McVey said: "I am delighted to have been invited back into government, it is a real privilege to be asked to serve the country and I look forward to taking on this new role.

"When I got the call from the Prime Minister, I had just finished one of my regular 'Ask the MP' sessions in the constituency. I then travelled back to London to meet with him.

"Whether a backbencher or a Cabinet Minister my priority is the Tatton constituency, just as it was when I was Secretary of State for DWP and Deputy Chief Whip.

"As your local MP I have campaigned for many issues including keeping our train ticket offices open, HS2, recognition for emergency workers killed in the line of duty, food security and farming, money for Knutsford market hall, local road repairs and better broadband for rural areas among other things. And I will continue to fight for our local priorities from within Cabinet."

Ms McVey has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tatton since 2017 and held several roles in government under previous Prime Ministers, including Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Housing Minister and Deputy Chief Whip.

Comments

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

Gary Chaplin

Thursday 16^th November 2023 at 3:13 pm

Esther has her detractors, but I've always found her a very good local MP, deals with stuff whenever I've asked, responded swiftly and remembered issues/conversations when I've bumped in to her....also has a decent local presence in the area.

Way better than any former-MP I can remember who merely used a safe seat to avoid having to work hard to retain it.

To have her in cabinet will give an extra bit of clout IMO

Terry Roeves

Thursday 16^th November 2023 at 6:30 pm

Esther’s job specn will make for interesting reading, cc Dominic Cummings’s?

Pete Taylor

Friday 17^th November 2023 at 6:55 am

@ Gary Chaplin, presumably you do not remember our former independent MP Martin Bell? He voted with his conscience, not with his party and I'm reasonably sure he would have voted for a cease-fire in Gaza, rather than against, which is what our current representative did this week.

Sandra Cox

Friday 17^th November 2023 at 8:19 am

Martin Bell (1997 - 2001) was an excellent MP for Tatton. He came to our rescue after Neil Hamilton was discredited promising to only serve one term. That was a promise he kept which was a a great pity as he is a decent, honest man..

Simon Worthington

Thursday 23^rd November 2023 at 2:42 am

Martin was ok but revelled in his celebrity. Although initially sceptical Ms. McVey has responded to me speedily and informatively several times. I know of others she has assisted. One of a handful of excellent (especially regarding Covid) MPs IMHO!!

Vince Chadwick

Thursday 23^rd November 2023 at 11:51 am

Mistress McVey has not impressed me, not least when her office sent me an email thanking me for my support of her anti - HS2 campaign. Me! Anti-HS2!

She obviously doesn't read these forums.

When I pointed out to her office that my views on HS 2 are and have always been the polar opposite to Mistress McVey's, they did not even bother to reply.

At least she had the decency to resign from her position as a presenter on the execrable far right channel 'GB News'.

Jon Williams

Thursday 23^rd November 2023 at 2:45 pm

Vince:
Why is GB News extremely bad or unpleasant ?