Bishop Auckland MP quits levelling-up role due to chronic migraines

Levelling up minister Dehenna Davison has resigned from her role, citing an ongoing battle with chronic migraine.

The MP for Bishop Auckland, in County Durham, said in a resignation letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that the condition "has had a great impact on my ability to carry out the role".

She said:

"Some days I'm fine, but on others it is difficult, if not impossible, to keep up with the demands of ministerial life - and the timing of such days is never predictable.

"Though I have tried to mitigate, and am grateful to colleagues for their patience at times, I don't feel it is right to continue in the role."

First elected in 2019, Ms Davison had already announced her decision to stand down as an MP at the next election.

She has served as a levelling up minister since September last year, which she said was "an immense privilege that I will forever remember".

She added: "At such a critical time for levelling up, I believe the people of communities like mine, and across the country, deserve a minister who can give the job the energy it needs.

"I regret that I no longer can.

"And, as my capacity is currently diminished, it feels right to focus it on my constituents, and on promoting conservatism from the backbenches."

In response to her resignation, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove tweeted:

"Really sorry to lose Dehenna from the department - a brilliant minister and kind friend. Wishing her all the very best for the future. She has so much to offer."

She used her resignation letter to praise the Government for making progress on devolution, delivering new freeports, and allocating billions of pounds to regeneration projects across the UK.

She said she will use her remaining time in Parliament to focus on "doing all I can to deliver on the pledges I made in Bishop Auckland" and championing the cause of "better justice and support for one punch assault victims and their families".

The issue has been of great personal importance to Ms Davison, whose father was killed by a single punch during an attack in a pub in Sheffield when she was just 13.

Redcar MP Jacob Young has been announced as Ms Davison's replacement as levelling up minister.

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