Andrew Robathan - Parliamentary Career

Parliamentary Career

Robathan was elected to Hammersmith and Fulham Council in May 1990, defeating the Labour mayor in Eel Brook ward.

He resigned in late 1991 to fight the 1992 general election, elected as MP for Blaby in 1992 succeeding Nigel Lawson, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer. Blaby had a 37% majority in 1992, but it was considerably reduced by major boundary changes in 1997, creating a rise in Liberal Democrat support within the constituency. In the past two elections, Robathan has faced J. David Morgan of the Labour Party. Following a public enquiry by the Electoral Commission and submissions from the public including Robathan, the Blaby constituency will be known as South Leicestershire from the next general election onwards.

Robathan spent four years on the departmental select committee between 1997 and 2001. He is a former chairman, currently Vice chairman, of the All Party Cycling Group, and vice chairman of the All Party Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group.

Robathan was John Redwood's Parliamentary Private Secretary to Iain Sproat, Minister for Sport, in the Major administration before returning to the backbenches when the Conservatives lost the 1997 general election. He returned to the front-bench as Trade and Industry Spokesman in 2002.

In the 2001 Conservative Party leadership election, Robathan was a keen supporter of Michael Portillo. After six months on the backbenches, Robathan was appointed Commons Liaison to the Lords and then a defence spokesman in which capacity he fought the 2005 general election.

In the 2005 Conservative leadership election, Robathan was one of the very first MPs to declare his support for David Cameron and was rewarded with one of only five paid posts in opposition, Opposition Deputy Chief Whip.

In May 2010, he was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence with responsibility for Welfare and Veterans.

In December 2011, campaigners called for him to be sacked after he compared the medal claims of 66,500 veterans of the Arctic convoys of World War II to the proliferation of honours made by "authoritarian regimes" and "dictators"

"One can look, for instance, at North Korean generals who are covered in medals or Gaddafi or Saddam Hussein... We have taken the view in this country, traditionally, that medals will only be awarded for campaigns that show risk and rigour."

Some 3000 sailors died on the convoys - which Winston Churchill described as the "worst journey in the world." Portsmouth MPs described his behaviour as "shameful" and "sickening."

In October 2012 Robathan was told to calm down by the deputy speaker after complaining about noise levels from the public gallery. Soldiers from the "historic" 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers who face being disbanded were "politely applauding MPs who spoke up on their behalf". A former captain contrasted MOD advice that they went to Afghanistan and Iraq to help democracy with the reality of their own threatened ejection from Parliament.