LETTER: Cllr John Milne reacts to Jeremy Quin MP leaving Government

As printed in the Thursday, 16 November 2023, print edition of the West Sussex County Times

Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet reshuffle surprised everyone with the return of David Cameron as Foreign Secretary. But closer to home there’s also the matter of our own MP, Jeremy Quin. Always an arch party loyalist, he has resigned from the Cabinet in order to (in his own words) devote more time to ‘projects in Horsham’.

Presumably the main project here is to secure his own re-election during a difficult time for the Conservative party. 

But what is disappointing is the role Jeremy reportedly turned down. That of Housing Minister.

If there’s one job in government Jeremy could have taken that would make a difference to Horsham, this is it. As Housing Minister he would have been in pole position to resist the wilder end of Tory planning reforms, which threaten to legislate away the environmental protection we get from Water Neutrality.

It’s not an exaggeration to say, the wrong result here has the potential to double our housebuilding target overnight.

No doubt this would have been a tough job. The government has been through 5 different ministers in just 8 months. But planning reforms have such important consequences for Horsham District.

Rather than returning to the backbenches, the best way for Jeremy to contribute to the needs of his constituents would be to put himself at the centre of decision making.

A missed opportunity!

Cllr John Milne
Cabinet Member for Planning, Horsham District Council