Andrew Robathan

Andrew Robert George Robathan (born 17 July 1951) is a British Conservative politician, and Member of Parliament (MP) for South Leicestershire (previously Blaby) in Leicestershire. He is currently the Minister of State for Northern Ireland.

Early life
Robathan was born on 17 July 1951. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, an all-boys public school in Northwood, London. He went on to read Modern History at Oriel College, University of Oxford. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in 1973, later promoted to Master of Arts.

Military career
Robathan was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards as a second lieutenant (on probation) (University Candidate) on 6 October 1974. He was given the service number 498738. His commission was confirmed and he was given seniority as a second lieutenant from 6 April 1971. He was promoted to lieutenant, back dated to 6 October 1974, with seniority from 6 Apr 1973. Having attended the Staff College, Camberley, he was promoted to major on 30 September 1984. He served for a period of time with the Special Air Service (SAS). He retired on 27 August 1989 and was appointed to the Reserve of Officers.

He worked for BP from 1991–92, 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.

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 2011, he was a member of the special Select Committee set up to scrutinise the Bill that became the Armed Forces Act 2011.

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.

Expenses
Robathan claimed the maximum second home entitlement of £24,006 in the period 2008–09 though he was not one of the 343 MPs required to repay money by the Legg Report. He was one of 177 MPs listed by the Daily Telegraph who employed family members. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority report published 2 years later, whilst tightening the rules, confirmed that a member may employ one relative subject to general conditions relating to expenses. Robathan's expenses have generally been in the bottom half of all MPs

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.

On 4 November 2013, it was reported in Leicester Mercury newspaper and on BBC Radio Leicester that Robathan had claimed £4,587 expenses to pay for energy bills for his second home.

Personal life
He married Rachel Maunder in December 1991 in Westminster. They have a son (born December 1996) and daughter (born July 1999). He speaks French and German, and is a Freeman of the City of London.

News items

 * Leicestershire education in March 2003