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Natalie Fleet says she has stepped down as safeguarding minister after finding the role “overwhelmingly triggering”, telling the BBC that it was making her ill.<\/b><\/p>\n
The Labour MP, who was groomed and raped as a teenager, added she told the team of new Prime Minister Andy Burnham that she “sadly couldn’t stay” in the job.<\/p>\n
Fleet described it as the “bravest thing I’ve ever done” and offered her support to her successor.<\/p>\n
She was appointed to the role on 12 May this year following the resignation of Jess Phillips<\/a>, who said opportunities for progress had been “stalled and delayed” under the leadership of then-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.<\/p>\n Announcing her departure on the social media platform X, external<\/span><\/a>, Fleet said: “Honour of lifetime to be minister for safeguarding. Quickly found contents overwhelmingly triggering.”<\/p>\n She added: “Victims deserve someone at their best.”<\/p>\n She told BBC News the nature of the role as safeguarding minister means “you hear the worst of humanity”, saying: “I understand what it is like not to be seen and not to be heard.”<\/p>\n “I know how important this job is and I know how much it needs a good and competent minister. It quickly became apparent how ill it was making me.”<\/p>\n She received support from the Home Office while in post, she said.<\/p>\n “But even with that [support] the nature of the job means that you hear the worst of humanity.<\/p>\n “Anybody would struggle hearing that but not everyone would react in the same way as someone who has gone through what I have.<\/p>\n “For me it is one of the most important jobs in government. It was the honour of my life to be able to do it. <\/p>\n “Nothing can compare to being asked to make a difference to the lives of women and girls. It was incredible.”<\/p>\n Fleet was elected MP for Bolsover in July 2024, succeeding Labour stalwart Dennis Skinner.<\/p>\n