Government minister with incurable cancer steps down

PoliticsHealth & Fitness
2 Mar 2026 • 8:27 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • Health minister Ashley Dalton has resigned from her post to manage advanced breast cancer and focus on her constituency duties while undergoing chemotherapy.
  • In a letter to Sir Keir Starmer, Ms Dalton stated she needed to take “reasonable adjustments” to manage her condition.
  • She confirmed her intention to return to the backbenches, continuing to advocate for improved health outcomes for cancer patients.
  • Health Secretary Wes Streeting praised Ms Dalton as an “outstanding minister” who achieved a great deal despite “extraordinary adversity”.
  • Ms Dalton, MP for West Lancashire, was appointed public health minister in February 2025, having been diagnosed with incurable breast cancer the month before.

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