Chronic migraines have forced me to quit, says Dehenna Davison

Conservative MP Dehenna Davison has resigned as a levelling up minister, saying "chronic migraines" have made it "impossible" to do her job.

Writing to the prime minister, she said people deserved "a minister who can give the job the energy it needs".

She said serving in government had been "an immense privilege that I will forever remember".

She also pledged her "wholehearted support" to Rishi Sunak's government from the backbenches.

Ms Davison became an MP in the 2019 general election taking the traditional Labour stronghold of Bishop Auckland in County Durham.

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She was seen as a rising star from the new crop of Conservative MPs representing seats in the Midlands and North of England.

However just three years into her parliamentary career she announced that she would be stepping down at the next election, saying she wanted to devote more time to "life outside politics - mainly to my family".

Now, she has said she will step down as a minister and use her remaining years in Parliament to focus on helping people in her constituency and fighting for justice for "one punch assault victims and their families".

Ms Davison's father was killed by a single punch outside a Sheffield pub when she was just 13 years old. She has previously spoken about her "burning sense of injustice" over what she felt was the "lenient" sentence handed out for the assault.

In a letter published on her social media, Ms Davison said her health problems had had a "great impact" on her ability to carry out her government role.

"Some days I'm fine, but on others it is difficult, if not impossible, to keep up with the demands of ministerial life."

Ms Davison has served as a junior minister in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities since September 2022.

Responding to her resignation, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said: "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."

Conservative MP Jacob Young has been appointed to replace Ms Davison as a minister in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

What are migraines?

Millions of people in the UK get migraines and they can have a huge impact on daily life.

As well getting a headache, people can feel nauseous or queasy and even vomit during an attack.

Some say they get an "aura" just before - that might be visual symptoms such as blind spots or seeing zig zag patterns or flashing lights.

Others don't get any such warning that they need to find a quiet, dark room to lie down in while waiting for medication to kick in for some relief.

The pattern of attacks can be unpredictable, making it hard to plan for work and social occasions. Trying to push on through an attack is not necessarily safe or advisable. They can last for hours and make you feel drowsy and confused.