Brighton doctor turned MP quits Tories for Labour

A Brighton doctor who went on to become a Conservative MP and then Health Minister has resigned from the Tory party to join Labour.

Dan Poulter, 45, worked as a registrar at the Royal Sussex County Hospital where he specialised in obstetrics, gynaecology and women’s health.

He has since become a consultant psychiatrist while serving as the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich and as Health Minister for three years when David Cameron was Prime Minister.

In an article on the Guardian and Observer news website, Dr Poulter said: “The chaos of today’s fragmented patchwork of community addiction services – making A&E the default location for people to get treatment and help – has added pressure to an already overstretched service.

“The mental toll of a service stretched close to breaking point is not confined to patients and their families.

“It also weighs heavily on my NHS colleagues who are unable to deliver the right care in a system that simply no longer works for our patients.

“It is this which has led me today to have resigned from the Conservative Party to focus on my work as a doctor and to support Keir Starmer, Labour’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting and the Labour Party both before and after the general election on NHS policy.

“I shall continue to serve my constituents to the best of my ability until the next election – which I believe Rishi Sunak should call as soon as possible.

“After 14 years as an MP, including a period as health minister, I shall not be standing for Parliament again.”

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