Dan Poulter
{{Short description|British politician (born 1978)}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Dan Poulter
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Daniel-Poul ter-960x640 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Poulter in 2013
| office = Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Services
| primeminister = David Cameron
| predecessor = Simon Burns
| successor = Ben Gummer
| term_start = 4 September 2012
| term_end = 12 May 2015
| office1 = Member of Parliament
for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
| parliament1 =
| majority1 =
| predecessor1 = Michael Lord
| successor1 = Patrick Spencer
| term_start1 = 6 May 2010
| term_end1 = 30 May 2024
| birth_name = Daniel Leonard James Poulter
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1978|10|30}}{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/83524.stm |title=Daniel Poulter MP |work=BBC Democracy Live |access-date=25 July 2010 |archive-date=20 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110320105000/http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/83524.stm |url-status=dead }}
| birth_place = Beckenham, London, England{{cite web |url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U251162/ |title=POULTER, Dr Daniel Leonard James |work=Who's Who |publisher=A & C Black and Oxford University Press |date=November 2012 |access-date=27 December 2012 |postscript=. Login or subscription required. }}
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Labour (since 2024)
| otherparty = Conservative (until 2024)
| education = University of Bristol (LLB)
King's College London (MBBS)
| website = {{URL|www.drdanielpoulter.com}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024}}
}}
Daniel Leonard James Poulter{{London Gazette |issue=59418 |date=13 May 2010 |page=8745}} (born 30 October 1978) is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich from 2010 to 2024. Poulter is a psychiatrist, and served as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Health between September 2012 and May 2015. Initially elected as a Conservative, he defected to Labour in April 2024.
Early life and career
Daniel Poulter was born on 30 October 1978 in Beckenham, London. He was privately educated at Vinehall School and Battle Abbey School before attending the University of Bristol, graduating with a law degree, before qualifying as a medical doctor at King's College London.
Poulter was elected as a Conservative member of Hastings Borough Council in 2006, serving until 2007. He was the deputy leader of Reigate and Banstead Council between 2008 and 2010. Poulter worked as a junior doctor training in obstetrics and gynaecological medicine and has published articles in the area of women's health. At the time of meeting David Cameron in 2006, who inspired him to enter politics, he was working in mental health.{{cite web|last=Quinn|first=Ben |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/apr/14/pm-has-broken-pledges-to-help-disadvantaged-says-tory-ex-minister|title=PM has broken pledges to help disadvantaged, says Tory ex-minister|work=The Guardian |date=14 April 2016 |access-date=27 March 2017}}
During the 2011 parliamentary summer recesses, Poulter worked at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston in Norfolk, in the Accident and Emergency department.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14417811 |title=East MPs opt for fresh challenges in their summer break |work=BBC News |date=8 August 2011 |access-date=20 September 2012 }} In 2018, Poulter became a Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and continues to work as an NHS mental health doctor.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/24756/daniel_poulter/central_suffolk_and_north_ipswich|title=Daniel Poulter MP, Central Suffolk and North Ipswich|website=TheyWorkForYou}} In June 2021, Poulter became a non-executive director for Kanabo Group Plc, a medical cannabis company based in London.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210628005821/en/Kanabo-Appoints-Dr-Daniel-Poulter-MP-as-Non-Executive-Director|title=Kanabo Appoints Dr Daniel Poulter MP as Non-Executive Director|date=29 June 2021|work=businesswire.com}}
Parliamentary career
Poulter was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich at the 2010 UK general election with 50.8% of the vote and a majority of 13,786.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/election2010/results/constituency/a95.stm |title=2010 General Election result |work=BBC News |date=7 May 2010 |access-date=20 September 2012 }}
In 2011, he was credited with a "lifesaving" intervention in Parliament when he persuaded fellow Conservative MP Guy Opperman to seek urgent medical treatment.{{cite news|last1=McGurran|first1=Deborah|title=Dr Dan Poulter MP: Doctor in the House|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-13423246|access-date=29 March 2015|work=BBC News|date=17 May 2011}} Opperman subsequently had a brain tumour removed. Poulter announced he would resign from the British Medical Association in 2012, following an announced doctors' strike. He said he did not believe "striking as a doctor could ever be justified".{{cite news|last1=Poulter|first1=Daniel|title=Striking as a doctor can never be justified – I am resigning from the BMA|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/may/31/striking-doctor-never-justified|access-date=29 March 2015|work=The Guardian|date=31 May 2012}} In September 2012, Poulter became the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health.[http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/daniel-poulter/83524 Daniel Poulter] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102234559/http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/daniel-poulter/83524 |date=2 January 2013 }}, parliament.uk Retrieved 30 December 2012. His primary responsibilities as a Health Minister were for workforce issues, NHS estates and IT systems.{{cite web |url=http://www.gponline.com/News/article/1150425/health-ministers-portfolios-revealed-dh/ |title=Health ministers' portfolios revealed by DH |work=GPonline.com |access-date=20 September 2012}}
At the 2015 UK general election, Poulter was re-elected as MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, with an increased vote share of 56.1% and an increased majority of 20,144.{{cite web|title=Election Data 2015|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=17 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt|archive-date=17 October 2015}}{{cite news|title=2015 Election Results|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/E14000624|website=BBC News}}
After the election, Poulter returned to the back benches, and restarted work part-time as a doctor.{{cite web |url=http://www.nursingtimes.net/home/specialisms/leadership/poulter-out-and-gummer-in-as-tories-reshuffle-health-ministers/5084948.article |title=Poulter out and Gummer in as Tories reshuffle health ministers |work=nursingtimes.net |date=13 May 2015 |access-date=5 October 2012}} In October 2015, Poulter expressed his support for protests by doctors and others against the Conservative government's proposed changes to the junior doctors' contract.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXCgNAkGnWg |title=Message from Dan Poulter - YouTube |website=YouTube |access-date=2015-10-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312143800/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXCgNAkGnWg |archive-date=12 March 2016 |df=dmy-all }}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/oct/17/jeremy-hunt-i-would-protest-if-i-were-a-misled-junior-doctor |title=Jeremy Hunt: I would protest if I were a 'misled' junior doctor |first=Jessica |last=Elgot |work=The Guardian |date=17 October 2015}}
In April 2016, Poulter widened his criticism of the Conservative government, in a Guardian article.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/apr/14/pm-has-broken-pledges-to-help-disadvantaged-says-tory-ex-minister |title=PM has broken pledges to help disadvantaged, says Tory ex-minister |first=Ben |last=Quinn |work=The Guardian |date=14 April 2016}} Poulter was opposed to Brexit prior to the 2016 EU membership referendum.{{cite news|last1=Goodenough|first1=Tom|title=Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?|url=http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/which-tory-mps-back-brexit-who-doesnt-and-who-is-still-on-the-fence/|access-date=11 October 2016|work=The Spectator|date=16 February 2016|archive-date=22 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022111657/http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/which-tory-mps-back-brexit-who-doesnt-and-who-is-still-on-the-fence/|url-status=dead}} He later voted along party lines concerning leaving the EU.{{cite news|url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/suffolk-mps-split-on-party-lines-1-6240006|title=MPS split on party lines over Johnson's bid to cut Parliamentary sittings|work=East Anglian Daily Times|date=28 August 2019}}{{Dead link|date=May 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
At the snap 2017 UK general election, Poulter was again re-elected, with an increased vote share of 60.1% and a decreased majority of 17,185.{{cite web |title=Election of the Member of Parliament for the Central Suffolk & North Ipswich constituency |url=https://www.babergh.gov.uk/assets/Elections/Election-Notices/2017.06.08/CSNI-Statement-of-Persons-Nominated-Notice-of-Poll-and-Situation-of-Polling-Stations.pdf |access-date=22 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603011403/https://www.babergh.gov.uk/assets/Elections/Election-Notices/2017.06.08/CSNI-Statement-of-Persons-Nominated-Notice-of-Poll-and-Situation-of-Polling-Stations.pdf |archive-date=3 Jun 2019 |language=English |date=11 May 2017 |url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000624|title=Suffolk Central & Ipswich North parliamentary constituency - Election 2017|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} He was again re-elected at the 2019 UK general election, with an increased vote share of 62.7%, and an increased majority of 23,391.{{cite web |title=Election of a Member of Parliament for Central Suffolk & North Ipswich |url=https://www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/assets/Communications/General-election-2019/CSNI-Statement-of-Persons-Nominated-Notice-of-Poll-and-Situation-of-polling-stations.pdf |access-date=22 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115155013/https://www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/assets/Communications/General-election-2019/CSNI-Statement-of-Persons-Nominated-Notice-of-Poll-and-Situation-of-polling-stations.pdf |archive-date=15 Nov 2019 |language=English |date=14 Nov 2019 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=Suffolk Central & Ipswich North parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000624 |website=UK results |publisher=BBC |access-date=14 December 2019}}
In a March 2022 article penned by Poulter for the East Anglian Daily Times, he said "studies of healthy omnivores eating a diet rich in plant foods have failed to find consistent evidence that red meat is unhealthy".{{Cite web |last=Poulter |first=Dan |date=2 March 2022 |title=OPINION: Why those who want to ban meat and dairy should think again |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/dan-poulter-mp-on-veganism-meat-and-dairy-8723820 |access-date=27 April 2024 |website=East Anglian Daily Times}} In December 2022, he wrote an article in The Guardian advocating for increasing nurses' pay during the 2022 National Health Service strikes.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-16 |title=I'm a former Tory minister and a doctor – and I say give striking nurses a better pay deal {{!}} Dan Poulter |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/dec/16/tory-minister-doctor-striking-nurses-pay-nhs-workers-scotland-england |access-date=2022-12-17 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}
On 27 April 2024, Poulter announced his defection to the Labour Party, the second Conservative MP to defect to Labour during that parliament after Christian Wakeford crossed the floor in 2022.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-68913287|title=Conservative MP and ex-minister Daniel Poulter defects to Labour|date=27 April 2024|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} Poulter also declared that he would not be seeking re-election at the 2024 general election.{{Cite news |last=Helm |first=Toby |date=2024-04-27 |title=Top Tory MP defects to Labour in fury at NHS crisis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/apr/27/top-tory-mp-defects-to-labour-in-fury-at-nhs-crisis |access-date=2024-04-27 |work=The Observer |issn=0029-7712}}
=''Sunday Times'' libel case=
In February 2019, The Sunday Times apologised in open court to Dan Poulter for falsely alleging he had sexually assaulted three female MPs. The newspaper admitted the claims were defamatory and baseless, removed the articles from its website, and agreed not to republish them.{{cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/25/mp-dan-poulter-wins-damages-over-sunday-times-assault-claims|title=MP Dan Poulter wins damages over Sunday Times assault claims|date=25 February 2019|work=The Guardian}}{{cite news |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/dan-poulter-wins-damages-1-5905052 |title=Suffolk MP wins damages and apology from Sunday Times over unfounded allegations |work=East Anglian Daily Times|date=25 February 2019}} It also paid substantial damages and covered Poulter's legal costs.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-47358003 |work=BBC News |title=MP Dan Poulter wins damages over Sunday Times sex assault claims|date=25 February 2019 }}
The allegations had appeared in two articles published in November 2017, based on claims by Andrew Bridgen MP. A Conservative Party investigation exonerated Poulter, finding no complaints had ever been made against him and dismissing the claims as lacking "reliable evidence."{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-43533323 |title=Suffolk MP Daniel Poulter cleared in misconduct probe |work=BBC News |date=25 March 2018 |access-date=30 December 2024}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100313015241/http://www.drdanielpoulter.com/ Official website]
- {{UK MP links |parliament=dr-dan-poulter/3932 |guardian=12772/daniel-poulter |publicwhip=Daniel_Poulter |theywork=daniel_poulter |record=Daniel-Poulter/Central-Suffolk-and-North-Ipswich/1234 |bbc=83524.stm |journalisted= }}
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{{s-bef|before=Michael Lord}}
{{s-ttl
|title=Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
}}
{{s-aft|after=Patrick Spencer}}
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{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Poulter, Dan}}
Category:Alumni of King's College London
Category:Alumni of the University of Bristol
Category:Associates of King's College London
Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Category:Councillors in East Sussex
Category:Councillors in Surrey
Category:Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Category:People educated at Battle Abbey School