The name of Victoria Atkins is in golden letter in the political history of Britain. Moreover, this confident lady did not keep any card unturned to prove her wonderful skills related to the national welfare. Today, people respect her as the Honourable Health Minister Victoria Atkins.
Being one of the prominent faces of British politics, Atkins was accustomed to state affairs due to the background of her father. MP Robert Atkins, from the Conservative Party, is the father of Victoria. Atkins occupied the chair of Health and Social Care Secretary of State from November 2023. However, this is not the beginning of her career. She has been connected with the State by serving different roles.
Furthermore, she remained dedicated to her party from 2010, when she contested for the Salisbury safe seat. Atkins took the oath as the State Health Minister at Buckingham Palace on 15h November 2023. She received the prestigious title of “The Right Honourable” after her appointment. She will carry this prefix for the rest of her life.
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Background of Health Minister Victoria Atkins
Health Minister Victoria Atkins took birth to Sir Robert Atkins and Lady (Dulcie) Atkins. It was March 22, 1976. Her family was deeply connected with British Politics. On the one hand, her father was the Conservative MP, and on the other, her mother was the Mayor and Councillor of the Conservative party. It was obvious that the girl would also grow up to be a brilliant politician.
However, at the tender age of only 3 years, Atkins became the victim of Type I Diabetes. Regular medicines improved her health afterward. Victoria got her primary education from Arnold School, Blackpool. Ultimately, she passed Law from Corpus Christi College of Cambridge.
In 1998, Atkins joined the Bar Council (Middle Temple) and prospered as a Barrister in London. Finally, she contested as a candidate for the first time against John Glen for the Salisbury Elections. She could not succeed in the elections but started life afresh with new hopes. She married Paul Kenward, the MD of British Sugar. The couple has a cute child named Monty.
Beginning Of A New Chapter
Victoria became the favorite of many at the beginning of her political career. After the loss against Glen for the MP seat, she contested the elections for Police and Crime Commission in November 2012. Furthermore, it was her first election in this field. Fortunately, she managed to grab first-preference votes from several voters.
However, she failed to win against Martin Surl, the former police superintendent. The loss was prominent only after the second preference count ended. This implied a favorable position for Atkins in the British political field. Later, in 2015, she again got nominated for the Tonbridge and Malling seat. Although she could not win this contest, she got a seat in another constituency. She became a strong contestant for the Conservative Party and got several selections from different elections.
Health Minister Victoria Atkins covered a long distance before shining as a prominent figure in the British Parliament. The parliamentary career of the talented lady started in 2014. In July 2015, she became a Home Affairs Select Committee member. Moreover, she received more than 63% of the votes, with an increased majority during the General Election of 2017. The same year, she joined as a Junior Minister and became Parliamentary Under Secretary of State. It was for the Department of Vulnerability, Safeguarding, and Countering Extremism.
Development As A Strong Leader
The glorious days of Victoria Atkins were yet to come after occupying the seat of Junior Minister. She played a significant role in the Home Affairs Committee and gave her opinion on the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill at the Home of Commons.
In one of the sudden interviews, the lady stated that she was unaware of the total number of police officers in the State. This brought her into controversies, and a sensitive Home Office report leaked after this. It brought forward a crucial fact that the crime rate in the State was rising profusely.
Atkins excused herself as a judge on drug dealings when the name of British Sugar, her husband’s company, got involved with the case. Reports said that the company produced cannabis that was used in different medicines. This resulted in child epilepsies and thus became a sensitive issue for the general public. The health-conscious woman handled the situation appropriately and made a distinct place in the hearts of the common people.
This resulted in the re-election of Victoria Atkins in the 2019 General Election for the seat of Louth and Horncastle. She received 72.7% votes and thus gave a tough fight to the opponents. Finally, she joined the Ministry of Justice and held the chair of Minister of State for Prisons in 2021. At the same time, she also became the Minister of the Afghan Settlement. She was in charge of the Afghan Resettlement Programme, “Operation Pitting”.
Before winning the chair of Health Minister, Atkins looked after the taxes and finances as Treasury’s Financial Secretary. She also carried out her duties ably while working in the Ministry of Justice. She tackled injustice to the youth of the country and resolved multiple problems involving violence against children and women. Moreover, Atkins focused primarily on women’s safety and dealt the cases of injustice against girls.
The Stability of The New Health Minister
2023 brought a new era in the life of Victoria Atkins when she ceased to be an ordinary minister and attained the position of prestigious Health Ministry. The Barrister is the new choice of the British citizens as they voted in favour of the Conservative Party. Interestingly, she had no political peers to vouch for her performance. However, her exceptional dedication to the State’s welfare made her finally reach the position of Health Secretary.
The elevation of Atkins gradually through all these years is a fantastic example for future contestants on political grounds. The Centrist wing congratulated her and showed immense confidence in this new role. In the interviews, the Conservative Party members elaborated on her deeds at different ministerial levels. Therefore, they remain pleased to have such a competent member in the Health Ministry.
According to Elliot Colburn, the South London MP, Atkins is a hardworking lady and capable of handling several complex instances with ease. He also added that Health Minister Victoria Atkins has a record of overcoming challenges and fulfilling commitments. Hence, it will not be wrong to keep faith in her abilities as she will surely reflect that in her new role.
Role of Victoria Atkins In the Improvement of Health of the UK
The UK parliament recently witnessed a reshuffle in the cabinet. Rishi Sunak, the present Prime minister of the UK, announced the names of the new cabinet members in November 2023. Steve Barclay held the position of the Health Minister till the date of replacement. However, it was important to bring change to keep the present condition of the health department in the UK. Accordingly, Victoria Atkins replaced Barclay and was appointed as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Considering the glorious political background of Atkins, it is expected that she will be competent enough to handle this responsibility. On the other hand, the former Health Minister Barclay is now the State Secretary of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The decision to change the cabinet resulted from an unfortunate incident at Nottingham Hospital. The UK courts dealt with a pathetic case of a child getting killed after his life-support device was intentionally switched off, as the doctors said that they could not do anything more to save him. The consequences took a violent turn as the child’s family members sought justice in the Court of Law.
The legal ramifications went on for an unexpectedly long time, and the mass was looking forward to a change in the Health Department. At such a crucial time, the appointment of Atkins as the new Health Minister gave a lot of expectations to the public. There is a strong challenge before the lady regarding the appropriate actions from the first day of her tenure.
Conclusion
The present UK Health Minister Victoria Atkins is a ray of hope for British citizens. She took over the position after a mournful episode of child death at Nottingham Hospital. However, she comes from a political family and is a well-known face in the parliament. She became aware of British politics from her father, Sir Rober Atkins, the former Cabinet MP, and her mother, the Conservative Mayor.
After dealing with various cases as a competent minister for the Ministry for Justice or as a Financial Secretary of Treasure, Atkins is all set to welcome a new chapter in her life. Although she has no experience or connection with the Health Department, her intelligence and ability to make decisions at crucial times is the key to her success. Therefore, people are looking forward for improved services in the Health sector under her regime.
