Editing Andrew Robathan

{{short description|British Conservative politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[Major (United Kingdom)|Major]] [[The Right Honourable]]
| name                = The Lord Robathan
| honorific-suffix    = [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|PC]]
| image               = File:Official portrait of Lord Robathan 2020 crop 2.jpg
| caption             = Official portrait, 2019
| office              = [[Minister of State, Northern Ireland|Minister of State for Northern Ireland]]
| term_start          = 7 October 2013
| term_end            = 14 July 2014
| predecessor         = [[Mike Penning]]
| successor           = [[Andrew Murrison]]
| primeminister       = [[David Cameron]]
| office1             = [[Minister of State for the Armed Forces]]
| term_start1         = 4 September 2012
| term_end1           = 7 October 2013
| predecessor1        = [[Nick Harvey]]
| successor1          = [[Mark Francois]]
| primeminister1      = [[David Cameron]]
| office2             = [[Minister of State for Veterans' Affairs|Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Welfare and Veterans]]
| primeminister2      = [[David Cameron]]
| term_start2         = 13 May 2010
| term_end2           = 4 September 2012
| predecessor2        = [[Kevan Jones]]
| successor2          = [[Mark Francois]]
| office3             = [[Member of the House of Lords]] <br /> [[Lord Temporal]]
| term_start3         = 9 November 2015<br /> [[Life Peerage]]
| term_end3           = 
| office4             = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]]<br />for [[South Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)|South Leicestershire]]<br />{{nobold|[[Blaby (UK Parliament constituency)|Blaby]] (1992–2010)}}
| parliament4         = 
| term_start4         = 9 April 1992
| term_end4           = 30 March 2015
| predecessor4        = [[Nigel Lawson]]
| successor4          = [[Alberto Costa (British politician)|Alberto Costa]]
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1951|7|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place         = [[Surrey]], [[United Kingdom]]
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| spouse              = {{marriage|Rachael Maunder|1991}}
| party               = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| relations           = 
| children            = 2
| residence           = 
| alma_mater          = [[Oriel College, Oxford]]
| occupation          = 
| profession          = 
| signature           = 
| website             = 
| footnotes           = <!--Military service-->
| nickname            = 
| allegiance          = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| branch              = {{army|United Kingdom}}
| serviceyears        = 1974–1989 (British Army)
| rank                = [[Major (United Kingdom)|Major]]
| unit                = [[Coldstream Guards]]<br />[[Special Air Service]]
| commands            = 
| battles             = [[Gulf War]]
| awards              = 
}}
'''Andrew Robert George Robathan, Baron Robathan''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|PC}} (born 17 July 1951) is a [[British people|British]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] politician, who served as [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[South Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)|South Leicestershire]] (previously [[Blaby (UK Parliament constituency)|Blaby]]) in [[Leicestershire]] as well as a [[Minister (government)|government minister]].

In September 2014 Robathan announced he would stand down at the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/MP-Andrew-Robathan-announces-standing/story-22963479-detail/story.html|title=MP Andrew Robathan announces he will not be standing again as Conservative candidate for South Leicestershire|work=Leicester Mercury|date=22 September 2014|access-date=22 September 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019145730/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/MP-Andrew-Robathan-announces-standing/story-22963479-detail/story.html|archive-date=19 October 2014}}</ref> and was nominated for a [[life peer]]age in [[2015 Dissolution Honours]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Dissolution Peerages 2015|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dissolution-peerages-2015|website=Gov.uk|access-date=27 August 2015}}</ref> being created '''Baron Robathan''', of Poultney in the [[Leicestershire|County of Leicestershire]], on 13 October 2015.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=61384 |date=19 October 2015 |page=19566}}</ref>

==Early life==
Robathan was born on 17 July 1951. He was educated at [[Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood|Merchant Taylors' School]], an all-boys [[Public school (United Kingdom)|public school]] in [[Northwood, London]]. He went up to read [[Modern History]] at [[Oriel College, Oxford|Oriel College]], [[University of Oxford]], where he graduated with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] (BA) in 1973, later proceeding [[Master of Arts (Oxbridge and Dublin)|Master of Arts]].

==Military career==
Robathan was [[commissioned officer|commissioned]] into the [[Coldstream Guards]] as a [[Second Lieutenant]] (on probation) (University Candidate) on 6 October 1974. He was given the [[service number]] 498738.<ref name="LG 14 January 1975">{{London Gazette |issue=46464 |date=14 January 1975 |page=514 |supp=y }}</ref> His commission was confirmed and he was given seniority as a Second Lieutenant from 6 April 1971. He was promoted to [[Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines)|lieutenant]], back dated to 6 October 1974, with seniority from 6 April 1973.<ref name="LG 14 April 1975">{{London Gazette |issue=46542 |date=14 April 1975 |page=4815 |supp=y }}</ref> Having attended the [[Staff College, Camberley|Staff College]], [[Camberley]], he was promoted to [[Major (United Kingdom)|major]] on 30 September 1984.<ref name="LG 15 October 1984">{{London Gazette |issue=49897 |date=15 October 1984 |page=13947 |supp=y }}</ref> He served for a period of time with the [[Special Air Service]] (SAS),<ref>[http://www.debretts.com/people-of-today/profile/24095/Andrew-Robert-George-ROBATHAN ''Debrett's People of Today'']{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and retired on 27 August 1989 being appointed to the Reserve of Officers.<ref name="LG 16 October 1989">{{London Gazette |issue=51903 |date=16 October 1989 |page=11883 |supp=y }}</ref>

He worked for [[BP]] from 1991 to 1992, but volunteered to return to the Army between January and April 1991 during the First [[Gulf War]], serving as [[Chief of Staff]] of the Prisoner of War Guard Force in [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Iraq]] and [[Kuwait]].<ref name=TlgProf/>

==Parliamentary career==
Robathan was elected to [[Hammersmith and Fulham]] Council in May 1990, defeating the then-Labour Mayor in the [[Eel Brook Common|Eel Brook]] Ward.<ref name=TlgProf>{{cite news |url=http://ukpolitics.telegraph.co.uk/Leicestershire+South/Andrew+Robathan |title=Andrew Robathan |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |access-date=14 May 2010 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100510031135/http://ukpolitics.telegraph.co.uk/Leicestershire%2BSouth/Andrew%2BRobathan |archive-date=10 May 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

He resigned as a Councillor in late 1991 to fight the [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992 general election]], elected as MP for Blaby in 1992 succeeding [[Nigel Lawson]], the former [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]]. Blaby had a 37% Conservative majority in 1992, but it was considerably reduced by the national swing against the Conservatives and major boundary changes in 1997, creating a rise in Labour support within the constituency. Following a public enquiry by the [[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)|Electoral Commission]] and submissions from the public including Robathan, the Blaby constituency was reconfigured as [[List of Parliamentary constituencies in Leicestershire and Rutland|South Leicestershire]].

Robathan served four years on the Defence Select Committee between 1997 and 2001; he was also Chairman of the All-Party Cycling Group, and Vice-Chairman of the All-Party Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group, whilst an [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]].<ref name=TlgProf/>

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 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]]. He returned to the front-bench as [[Department of Trade and Industry (United Kingdom)|Trade and Industry]] Spokesman in 2002.

In the [[2001 Conservative Party leadership election]], Robathan was a notable 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 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]].<ref>[http://www.totalpolitics.com/print/326437/andrew-robathan-profiled.thtml www.totalpolitics.com] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304115011/http://www.totalpolitics.com/print/326437/andrew-robathan-profiled.thtml |date=4 March 2016 }}</ref>

In the [[2005 Conservative Party leadership election|2005 Conservative leadership election]], Robathan was one of the first MPs to declare his support for [[David Cameron]] being rewarded with one of only five paid posts as [[Opposition Chief Whip|Opposition Deputy Chief Whip]].<ref name=TlgProf/>

In May 2010, he was appointed [[Parliamentary Under Secretary of State]] at the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] with responsibility for Welfare and Veterans.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

In 2011, he was a member of the Special Select Committee set up to scrutinise the Bill that became the Armed Forces Act 2011.<ref>{{cite web 
|url         =  https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmarmed/779/77901.htm
|access-date  =  20 September 2013
|title       =  Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill
|publisher   =  parliament.uk}}</ref>

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."<ref name=arc>{{cite news |url=http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/campaigns/passion-for-portsmouth/news/a_slur_on_our_arctic_heroes_by_veterans_minister_1_3315559 |date=7 December 2011 |title=A slur on our Arctic Heroes by Veterans Minister |access-date=4 June 2013}}</ref>
Some 3000 sailors died on the convoys - which [[Winston Churchill]] described as the "worst journey in the world".<ref name=arc/> Portsmouth MPs described his behaviour as "shameful" and "sickening".<ref name=arc/>

In October 2012 Robathan was told to calm down by [[Lindsay Hoyle]], the Deputy Speaker, after complaining about noise levels from the public gallery.<ref name=fuze>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/9622019/Forces-minister-requested-noisy-fusiliers-be-ejected-from-Commons-gallery.html |title=Forces minister 'requested noisy fusiliers be ejected from Commons gallery' |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |author=Andrew Hough |date=20 October 2012 |access-date=4 June 2013}}</ref> Soldiers from the "historic" 2nd Battalion [[Royal Regiment of Fusiliers]] who face being disbanded were "politely applauding MPs who spoke up on their behalf".<ref name=fuze/> 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.<ref name=fuze/>

===Expenses===
Robathan claimed the maximum second home entitlement of £24,006 in the period 2008–09<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Leicestershire-MPs-cutting-luxury-claims-expenses-scandal/article-1598483-detail/article.html |title=This is Leicester news article on expenses scandal |date=11 December 2009 }}</ref> though he was not one of the 343 MPs required to repay money by the Legg Report.<ref name=BBCreps>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8493634.stm?table=repay&order=asc#mprepayments|title=Full list of MPs' expenses repayments ..in order of amount repayable|work=BBC News|date=4 February 2010|access-date=1 April 2010}}</ref> 
He was one of 177 MPs listed by ''The Daily Telegraph'' who employed family members.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/2242795/MP-expenses-Who-employs-family-members.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705175003/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/2242795/MP-expenses-Who-employs-family-members.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 July 2008 |title=Daily Telegraph article on MP's who employ family members |date=3 July 2008 | location=London |work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref>  The [[Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority]] report published two years later,  whilst tightening the rules, confirmed that a member may employ one relative subject to general conditions relating to expenses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliamentarystandards.org.uk/|title=IPSA -The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority:Staffing expenditure:condition:section 8.6|date=26 March 2010|access-date=24 April 2010}}</ref> Robathan's expenses were generally in the bottom half of all MPs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/andrew_robathan/south_leicestershire#expenses|title=They work for you:Andrew Robathan-Expenses|access-date=20 October 2012}}</ref>

On 24 August 2009, he was quoted in ''[[The Times]]'' newspaper suggesting that MP's salaries be increased to £110,000. These comments were heavily frowned upon by his colleagues in Parliament and the media.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6807128.ece |title=Times article on MP's salary demands |date=24 August 2009 | location=London | work=The Times | first=Tom | last=Baldwin}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

On 4 November 2013, it was reported in ''The [[Leicester Mercury]]'' newspaper and on ''[[BBC Radio Leicester]]'' that Robathan had claimed £4,587 expenses to pay for energy bills for his second home.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Energy-bills-expenses-Leicestershire-MPs-claimed/story-20030794-detail/story.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131106010051/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Energy-bills-expenses-Leicestershire-MPs-claimed/story-20030794-detail/story.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 November 2013 |title=Leicester Mercury Andrew Robathan-Expenses }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01kxs3d|title=Andrew Robathan's Heating Expenses, Our MP's Heating Expenses, Jonathan Lampon - BBC Radio Leicester|website=BBC}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Robathan married Rachael Maunder in December 1991 in Westminster. They have a son (born December 1996), and daughter (born July 1999). Rachael has been a Conservative councillor on [[Westminster City Council]] since 2010, representing Knightsbridge and Belgravia ward. In 2020, she became Leader of the Council.

Robathan speaks French and German, and has been admitted as a [[Freedom of the City of London|Freeman]] of the [[City of London]].

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,9290,-4440,00.html Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Andrew Robathan MP]
* [https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/andrew_robathan/blaby TheyWorkForYou.com - Andrew Robathan MP]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061122062915/https://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=people.person.page&PersonID=5091 Biography]
* [http://www.southleicestershire.org South Leicestershire Conservative Association]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/64.stm BBC Politics page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070912023250/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/64.stm |date=12 September 2007 }}

===News items===
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2817971.stm Leicestershire education in March 2003]

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{{s-bef | before=[[Nigel Lawson]] }}
{{s-ttl
 | title = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Blaby (UK Parliament constituency)|Blaby]]
 | years = [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992]] – [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]]
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{{s-non | reason = Constituency abolished}}
{{s-new | constituency}}
{{s-ttl
 | title = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[South Leicestershire (UK Parliament constituency)|South Leicestershire]]
 | years = [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]] – [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015]]
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{{s-prec|uk}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Gregory Barker, Baron Barker of Battle|The Lord Barker of Battle]]}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Robathan, Andrew}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood]]
[[Category:Alumni of Oriel College, Oxford]]
[[Category:Coldstream Guards officers]]
[[Category:Special Air Service officers]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the Gulf War]]
[[Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1992–1997]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1997–2001]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2001–2005]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2005–2010]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2010–2015]]
[[Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Conservative Party (UK) life peers]]
[[Category:Life peers created by Elizabeth II]]
[[Category:Northern Ireland Office junior ministers]]