Victoria Atkins
Victoria Atkins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Official portrait, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 5 November 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader | Kemi Badenoch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Steve Barclay | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 8 July 2024 – 5 November 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader | Rishi Sunak | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Wes Streeting | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Edward Argar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Secretary of State for Health and Social Care | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 13 November 2023 – 5 July 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Steve Barclay | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Wes Streeting | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 27 October 2022 – 13 November 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Andrew Griffith | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Nigel Huddleston | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister of State for Prisons and Probation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 16 September 2021 – 6 July 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Lucy Frazer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Stuart Andrew | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister for Afghan Resettlement | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 16 September 2021 – 8 March 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Richard Harrington | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | The Lord Harrington of Watford | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of Parliament for Louth and Horncastle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 7 May 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Peter Tapsell | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Majority | 5,506 (11.8%) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Victoria Mary Atkins 22 March 1976 London, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Party | Conservative | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Paul Kenward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Robert Atkins (father) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Arnold School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Corpus Christi College, Cambridge (BA) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | www | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
alma_mater which should be merged with/replaced by education.Victoria Mary Atkins (born 22 March 1976) is a British politician who served in various ministerial positions under Prime Ministers Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak between 2017 and 2024, lastly as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care from November 2023 to July 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, she has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Louth and Horncastle since 2015 and Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since November 2024. Before her political career, she worked as a barrister specialising in organised crime.
Atkins was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding at the Home Office in November 2017 by Prime Minister Theresa May. Following the formation of the first Johnson ministry in July 2019, she remained in her post. On 16 September 2021, during the cabinet reshuffle, Boris Johnson appointed Atkins Minister of State for Prisons and Probation and Minister for Afghan Resettlement; she oversaw Operation Pitting in the latter role until she was replaced in March 2022. She resigned as Prisons Minister during the July 2022 government crisis, and called on Johnson to resign. After Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister in October 2022, she was appointed Financial Secretary to the Treasury before being promoted to Health Secretary in the November 2023 cabinet reshuffle.