Constituency : Hazel Grove 1997-2015
Andrew achieved one of the highest majorities amongst the new Liberal intake in recovering Michael Winstanley's old seat from the Tories. He was another veteran campaigner and candidate.
Andrew was born in Surrey. He was educated at Surbiton County Grammar School and Manchester University and became an architect. He joined the Liberals in 1968 when they were the only party to speak up for the Kenyan Asians. He worked for development corporations and as a freelancer until 1989 when he became political secretary for the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors. He received an OBE in 1995. He became a Chester city councillor in 1979. He stood for City of Chester in 1979, 1983 and 1987 achieving respectable votes but never moving out of third place. He contested Hazel Gove in 1992 and came within 1,000 votes of taking the seat. He was a Baptist lay preacher but later became a Methodist
Andrew was made energy spokesman and deputy chief whip. In 2001, he became chief whip.
In 2003 he came top in the Private Members Bill ballot and piloted the Sustainable and Secure Buildings Act 2004 encouraging the construction of safer and greener homes. In 2006, he relinquished the role to become shadow secretary for communities and local government.
In 2010, Andrew was the activists' representative on the negotiating team with the Conservatives that led to the formation of the coalition government. He became under secretary of state for communities and local government. He caused some amusement by wandering into the wrong lobby and having to hide to avoid being counted in the anti-government total. In 2012 , Nick Clegg asked him to stand down and let Don Foster have a spell as a minister. He was knighted in 2013.
In 2013 Andrew announced that he would be stepping down at the next election. He became a life peer in 2015.
He is now 76.
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