{{short description|British politician (born 1971)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}} {{Use British English|date=February 2018}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Andrew Lewer | honorific_suffix = MBE | image = Official portrait of Andrew Lewer crop 2.jpg | office = Member of Parliament<br />for Northampton South | term_start = 8 June 2017 | term_end = 30 May 2024 | predecessor = David Mackintosh | successor = Mike Reader | office1 = Member of the European Parliament for East Midlands | term_start1 = 1 July 2014 | term_end1 = 8 June 2017 | predecessor1 = Bill Newton Dunn | successor1 = Rupert Matthews | office2 = Leader of Derbyshire County Council | term_start2 = June 2009 | term_end2 = May 2013 | predecessor2 = John Williams | successor2 = Anne Western | office3 = Member of Derbyshire County Council for Ashbourne | term_start3 = 5 May 2005 | term_end3 = 7 May 2015 | predecessor3 = R Caswell | successor3 = Stephen Bull | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|7|18|df=y}} | birth_place = Burnley, Lancashire, England | party = Conservative | alma_mater = Newcastle University | website = [http://www.andrewlewer.com www.andrewlewer.com] | caption = }} '''Andrew Iain Lewer'''<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=61961 |date=19 June 2017 |page=11784}}</ref> {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} (born 18 July 1971 in Burnley, Lancashire<ref>{{cite web|title=European Parliament MEPs: Andrew Lewer|url= http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/124943/ANDREW_LEWER_home.html|publisher=European Parliament|accessdate=13 April 2015}}</ref>) is a British Conservative Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Northampton South from 2017 to 2024, and as Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands from 2014 to 2017.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/eu-regions/E15000004|title=vote 2014 – East Midlands|website=BBC News|accessdate=26 May 2014}}</ref>
He lost his seat in the 2024 General Election to Mike Reader of the Labour Party.
He was the Chairman of 7 All Party Parliamentary Groups, including Motor Neurone Disease,<ref>{{cite web |title=Scrap 6 Months campaign discussed in Parliament |date=13 February 2020 |url=https://www.mndassociation.org/scrap-6-months-campaign-discussed-in-parliament/ |publisher=Motor Neurone Disease Association |accessdate=12 June 2020}}</ref> Venezuela,<ref>{{cite web |title=Venezuela APPG |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/190102/venezuela.htm |accessdate=12 June 2020}}</ref> Independent Education,<ref>{{cite web |title=Independent Education APPG |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/190619/independent-education.htm |accessdate=12 June 2020}}</ref> Devolution,<ref>{{cite web |title=Devolution APPG |url=https://connectpa.co.uk/devolution-appg/ |accessdate=12 June 2020}}</ref> Publishing,<ref>{{cite web |title=Publishing APPG |url=https://allpartypublishinggroup.org.uk/membership.html |publisher=The All Party Parliamentary Group on Publishing |accessdate=12 June 2020}}</ref> SME Housebuilders,<ref>{{cite web |title=SME Housebuilding APPG |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/181010/sme-small-and-medium-sized-enterprises-house-builders.htm |accessdate=12 June 2020}}</ref> and the Private Rented Sector.<ref>{{Cite web |title=APPG for the Private Rented Sector |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/210310/private-rented-sector.htm}}</ref> He was also a member of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee, as well as the Education Select Committee.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee Membership |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/17/levelling-up-housing-and-communities-committee/membership/ |url-status=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Education Select Committee Membership |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/203/education-committee/membership/}}</ref>
==Early life and career== Lewer was born 18 July 1971 in Burnley, Lancashire. He attended Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, before studying history at Newcastle University.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uk.linkedin.com/in/andrew-lewer-b8a5a413|title=Linkedin|publisher=Linkedin|accessdate=23 August 2018}}</ref> He then entered into a career in publishing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.magazinemedia.eu/fml/pdf/20150508_FutureMedia_Bios_final.pdf|title=MagazineMediaEU|publisher=European Parliament Media|accessdate=23 August 2018}}</ref>
Living in Derbyshire, Lewer was elected as a Conservative Party Councillor to Derbyshire Dales District Council for the Ashbourne South ward in 2003 and then to Derbyshire County Council for the Ashbourne division in 2005. He became Group Leader in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.andrewlewer.com/about-andrew-lewer|title=About Andrew|publisher=Personal website|accessdate=23 August 2018}}</ref> The Conservatives took control of Derbyshire County Council in 2009, making Lewer the youngest county council leader in the country at the time. As Leader of the County Council, he also became Chairman of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site committee, the founding Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board and a founding director of the Local Enterprise Partnership for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.andrewlewer.com/about-andrew-lewer|title=About Andrew|publisher=Personal website|accessdate=23 August 2018}}</ref>
Although he was re-elected as a councillor, in the 2013 elections Labour regained control of Derbyshire County Council and Lewer lost his position as Council Leader.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-22374900|title=Derbyshire election 2013: Labour wins back control|date=3 May 2013|website=BBC News|access-date=1 July 2017}}</ref> He was awarded an MBE for services to local government in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ashbournenewstelegraph.co.uk/MBE-award-Buckingham-Palace-Councillor-Lewer/story-21062416-detail/story.html|title=Ashbourne|website=ashbournenewstelegraph.co.uk|date=21 June 2024 }}</ref> At the conclusion of his four-year term of office as Leader of Derbyshire County Council, Andrew Lewer became one of the vice-presidents of the Local Government Association (LGA), a position he still held in 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.local.gov.uk/about/our-meetings-and-leadership/lga-leadership/lga-vice-presidents|title=Local Government Membership|accessdate=12 June 2020}}</ref>
== Member of the European Parliament == Lewer was elected to the European Parliament representing the East Midlands in 2014, replacing the former Conservative MEP Roger Helmer, who had defected to UKIP. Lewer was appointed to the Regional Development Committee and the Culture Committee as spokesperson for the European Conservative and Reformists Group in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://conservativeeurope.com/publications/Westminster%20Guide%203_Layout%2018.pdf|title=Westminster Guide Layout 2018|publisher=Conservative Europe}}</ref> He supported Brexit, as he felt that David Cameron had failed to gain any meaningful concessions from his European counterparts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/mays-new-wave-of-brexit-believers-euroskeptics-tories-uk-snap-election/|title=Theresa May's new wave of Brexit believers|date=9 May 2017| publisher=Politico|accessdate=12 June 2020}}</ref>
== Member of Parliament == In May 2017, Lewer was selected to run as the new Conservative Party candidate for the Northampton South parliamentary constituency after the sitting Conservative MP David Mackintosh stood down. Although not from Northampton, Lewer represented Northamptonshire within his East Midlands region as an MEP.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2017/05/northampton-south-lewer-wins-selection.html|title=Northampton South: Lewer wins selection|work=Conservative Home|date=2 May 2017 |accessdate=23 August 2018}}</ref>
Lewer was subsequently elected Member of Parliament for Northampton South in the 2017 general election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-40210884|title=Election results 2017: Northamptonshire remains a sea of blue|website=BBC News|access-date=1 July 2017}}</ref> He won with 46.9% of the vote and a majority of 1,159.<ref>{{cite web |date=30 April 2017 |title=BBC Local Live: Northamptonshire |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-northamptonshire-39739688 |website=BBC News}}</ref> Following his election win, he stood down as an MEP and was replaced by former author Rupert Matthews.
In February 2018, following the announcement that Northamptonshire County Council had brought in a section 114 notice, putting it in special measures following a crisis in its finances, Lewer was one of seven local MPs who released a statement expressing 'no confidence' in the council's leadership.<ref>{{cite news |date=5 February 2018 |title=Northamptonshire MPs call for county council takeover |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-42944394 |accessdate=23 August 2018 |website=BBC News}}</ref> In August 2018, Lewer broke ranks with the other MPs and said that while mismanagement had fuelled the Northamptonshire crisis, the council was also a victim of underlying financial pressures affecting all local authorities with social care responsibilities.<ref>{{cite news |date=8 August 2018 |title=Tory MP breaks ranks on Northamptonshire council crisis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/aug/08/tory-mp-breaks-ranks-on-northamptonshire-council-crisis |accessdate=23 August 2018 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>
In March 2018, Lewer was criticised by local campaigners over cuts to library services in Northampton. Lewer responded that he had been far from silent on the issue and that he had been a long-standing critic of the leadership of the council.<ref>{{cite news|title='Their collective silence has been deafening' say library campaigners but Northamptonshire MPs hit back after criticism|url=https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/their-collective-silence-has-been-deafening-say-library-campaigners-but-northamptonshire-mps-hit-back-after-criticism-1-8404496|work=Northampton Chronicle and Echo|accessdate=23 August 2018|date=6 March 2018}}</ref>
In Parliament, he served on the European Scrutiny Committee and the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, during his first mandate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/andrew-lewer/4659|title=Andrew Lewer MP|publisher=GOV.UK|accessdate=23 August 2018}}</ref>
During the meaningful vote period, Lewer voted against the government twice before voting for it a third time when faced with Theresa May reneging on her commitment to take the UK out of the EU on 29 March 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.andrewlewer.com/campaigns/brexit-update|title=Brexit Update|publisher=Personal website|accessdate=12 June 2020}}</ref> During the subsequent leadership election, Lewer supported Esther McVey and then Boris Johnson.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/05/27/esther-mcveys-optimistic-blue-collar-conservatism-just-country/|title=Esther McVeys optimistic blue collar conservatism is just what our country needs|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=27 May 2019|accessdate=12 June 2020|last1=Mp|first1=Andrew Lewer}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.andrewlewer.com/news/why-i-am-backing-boris|title= Why I am backing Boris|date= 28 June 2019|publisher=Personal website|accessdate=12 June 2020}}</ref> thumb|220x220px|Lewer during his time as an MEP At the 2019 general election, Lewer was re-elected with an increased vote share of 51.2% and an increased majority of 4,697.<ref>{{cite news |title=Northampton South Parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000862 |access-date=21 November 2019 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC}}</ref> Following the election, Lewer was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Home Office, having previously served after Boris Johnson was elected as PPS to the Northern Ireland Office, the Wales Office and the Scotland Office.
Following an interim report on the connections between colonialism and properties now in the care of the National Trust, including links with historic slavery, Lewer was among the signatories of a letter to ''The Telegraph'' in November 2020 from the "Common Sense Group" of Conservative Parliamentarians. The letter accused the National Trust of being "coloured by cultural Marxist dogma, colloquially known as the 'woke agenda'".<ref>{{cite letter |recipient=the ''Daily Telegraph'' |subject=Britain's heroes |date=9 November 2020 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2020/11/09/letterswill-police-break-armistice-day-ceremonies-wednesday/ |access-date=30 January 2021 }}</ref>
In December 2020 Lewer was fired from his PPS post for leaking information to the press, after a canary trap.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/878840/PPS-080420.pdf|title=Parliamentary Private Secretaries|publisher=Gov.uk|accessdate= 12 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ministerial aide sacked after leaking of letter warning MPs not to leak to media|website=The Guardian| first=Archie| last=Bland| date=18 December 2020| url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/dec/18/ministerial-aide-sacked-after-leaking-of-letter-warning-mps-not-to-leak-to-media-andrew-lewer}}</ref> Lewer denied leaking, but suggested the leak could have come from a member of his staff.<ref>{{cite news |date=18 December 2020 |title=Andrew Lewer: MP sacked as ministerial aide over leaked letter |website=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-55364465 |access-date=4 June 2022}}</ref> Six weeks later, he was re-elected as a Member of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee.<ref>{{cite web |last=House |first=of Commons |access-date=4 June 2022 |title=UK Parliament |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4659/career}}</ref>
In January 2021 Lewer wrote an open letter to the Northamptonshire Chief Constable asking that the Police do not focus on 'soft targets' for Covid fines.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mallett |first=Chris |date=9 January 2021 |title=Northampton MP calls on police not to focus on 'soft targets' for Covid fines |url=https://www.northantslive.news/news/northampton-mp-calls-police-not-4871564 |access-date=4 June 2022 |website=northantslive }}</ref>
In November 2021, as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Motor Neurone Disease, Lewer welcomed the fulfilment of the Group's 'United to End MND' campaign with the Government's commitment of £50 million towards the establishment of a Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute.<ref>{{cite news |title=Andrew Lewer column: Delighted Northampton charity gets £50 million boost to tackle Motor Neurone Disease |url=https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/opinion/columnists/andrew-lewer-column-delighted-northampton-charity-gets-ps50-million-boost-to-tackle-motor-neurone-disease-3462114 |access-date=4 June 2022 |newspaper=Northampton Chronicle and Echo }}</ref>
In December 2021 Lewer backed the campaign to build a monument to commemorate the efforts of the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, a former pilot of which, George Pritchard, lives in his Northampton South constituency.<ref>{{cite news |date=5 December 2021 |title=World War Two pilot backs campaign to honour photographic unit |website=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-59464245 |access-date=4 June 2022}}</ref>
During the July 2022 Conservative Party leadership election, Lewer helped form the campaign team of Kemi Badenoch.<ref>{{cite web |title=My support video for Kemi Badenoch MP as we approach the first round vote #kemi4pm {{!}} By Andrew Lewer MP {{!}} Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/andrew4Northampton/videos/my-support-video-for-kemi-badenoch-mp-as-we-approach-the-first-round-vote-kemi4p/705656307163537/ |access-date=13 October 2022 |website=www.facebook.com }}</ref>
In October 2022, Andrew Lewer was elected unopposed to the Education Select Committee.<ref>{{cite web |date=1 February 2023 |title=Education Committee |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/203/education-committee/membership/}}</ref> Since his appointment he has questioned Secretary of State Rt Hon Gillian Keegan MP about her lack of support for new grammar schools but supported her defence of not levying VAT on independent school fees.<ref>{{cite news |last=Clarence-Smith |first=Louisa |date=22 November 2022 |title=Ofsted insists grammar schools were not unfairly targeted in downgrading row |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/11/22/ofsted-insists-grammar-schools-not-unfairly-targeted-downgrading/ |access-date=1 February 2023 |issn=0307-1235}}</ref>
Lewer led a Westminster Hall debate on 10 May 2023 on small and medium sized housebuilders, highlighting the reduction of their number in the last fifteen years. On 21 February 2024, he led a Westminster Hall debate opposing Labour proposals to levy VAT on independent schools, highlighting the risk to special schools in particular.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SME Housebuilders Westminster Hall Debate | website=YouTube | date=12 May 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UBzuufdjmM}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=VAT on school fees debate | date=26 February 2024 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eJq__xJSGM |access-date=2024-03-07 |language=en}}</ref>
In December 2023 Lewer authored a report for the Centre for Policy Studies "Choices for Children" where he described the benefits of boarding schools for some children in local authority care.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Choices for Children |url=https://cps.org.uk/research/choices-for-children/ |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=The Centre for Policy Studies |language=en}}</ref>
He lost his seat in the 2024 General Election to Mike Reader of the Labour Party, sharing in the nationwide collapse in the Conservative vote. Reader had a majority of 4,000.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Northampton South – General election results 2024 – BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001407|access-date=2024-07-11|website=BBC News|language=en}}</ref>
==Post-parliamentary career== Following his defeat at the 2024 UK General Election, Lewer has worked as Director of Partnerships at Kindred Nurseries, and as UK Senior Adviser for consultancy firm Noble + Eaton.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/year-general-election-former-mps-now|title=One Year After The General Election: Where Are Former MPs Now?|last=Crowther|first=Zoe|date=6 July 2025|work=PoliticsHome|accessdate=20 April 2026}}</ref>
== Personal life == Lewer is married and has a son. He is an honorary Alderman of the county of Derbyshire, where he was based before being elected as an MP.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.andrewlewer.com/about-andrew-lewer|title=About Andrew|publisher=Personal website|accessdate=23 August 2018}}</ref> He is the only person in the UK to have served as a Council Leader, MEP and MP.<ref>{{cite web |title=Andrew Lewer MP – Who is he? |url=https://www.politics.co.uk/reference/lewer-andrew/ |access-date=1 February 2023 |website=Politics.co.uk}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *{{UK MP links |parliament=andrew-lewer/4659 |publicwhip=Andrew_Lewer |theywork=andrew_lewer}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{s-bef|before=David Mackintosh}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br />for Northampton South|years=2017–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Mike Reader}} {{s-civ}} {{succession box|title=Leader of Derbyshire County Council|years= June 2009 – May 2013|before= John Williams |after= Anne Western}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewer, Andrew}} Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:Conservative Party (UK) councillors Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Category:Conservative Party (UK) MEPs Category:Members of Derbyshire County Council Category:MEPs for England 2014–2019 Category:People from Burnley Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire Category:UK MPs 2017–2019 Category:UK MPs 2019–2024 Category:Leaders of local authorities of England Category:British Eurosceptics