Constituency : St Ives 1997-2015
Andrew took St Ives from the Tories at the second attempt.
Andrew was born in Cornwall. His father was a horticulturalist. He was educated at Helston Grammar School and Oxford. He worked as a charity organiser with Nottinghamshire Rural Community Council from 1981 then became deputy director of its Cornish equivalent in 1987.He was originally a member of the Cornish nationalist party, Mebyon Kernow. He narrowly failed to take St Ives in 1992 when the Tories were accused of personation.
Andrrew made part of his maiden speech in Cornish which must have challenged the Hansard clerks. He chaired the All Party Parliamentary Objective One Group which won millions of pounds of economic aid for Cornwall. He became the party's Fisheries spokesman in 1997. In 1999, he also took on Shadow Disabilities. In 2001 he became Charles Kennedy's PPS. He was Shadow Food and Rural Affairs minister from 2002-2005 then shadowed International Development from 2005 to 2006. In 2005 he swore his oath of allegiance in Cornish.He was one of the first shadow ministers to threaten resignation if Charles Kennedy stood for re-election. He opposed the formation of a Cornish unitary authority.
Andrew was the Liberal Democrat most prominently criticised over his expenses, mainly over letting his daughter stay at his London flat and putting her name on the insurance policy. He also repaid money relating to his wife staying with him at a London hotel. In 2010, he saw a sharp reduction in his majority as a result.
Andrew was defeated in 2015. In 2017, he nearly recaptured the seat despite being hampered by the party's Brexit policy.
Andrew was the most consistent Lib Dem rebel during the coalition government particularly over the bedroom tax.
Andrew suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis.
Andrew has written a number of books about Cornwall.
He is now 60.
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