Andy Sawford
Andy Sawford | |
|---|---|
| Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government | |
| In office 7 October 2013 – 8 May 2015 | |
| Leader | Ed Miliband |
| Preceded by | Helen Jones |
| Succeeded by | Steve Reed |
| Member of Parliament for Corby | |
| In office 15 November 2012 – 30 March 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Louise Mensch |
| Succeeded by | Tom Pursglove |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 March 1976 Desborough, Northamptonshire |
| Political party | Labour and Co-operative |
| Parent | Phil Sawford (father) |
| Alma mater | Durham University |
Andrew Sawford (born 15 March 1976) is a British politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Corby from 2012 to 2015.[1][2] A member of the Labour and Co-operative parties, he was a Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government from 2013 to 2015.
Early life and career[edit]
Sawford was born in Desborough, Northamptonshire on 15 March 1976 to Phil and Rosemary Sawford.[3] He was educated at a comprehensive school. He went on to study history at Durham University and graduated in 1997.[4]
Following university, Sawford worked in Parliament for the then-Corby MP Phil Hope.[4] He was a councillor and Cabinet Member on Dartford Borough Council in Kent from 1999 to 2003 representing Littlebrook Ward.[5] Sawford also worked for the Local Government Association (LGA).[6]
From 2003 to 2007 he was director of Connect Public Affairs[7] advising local authorities and organisations such as the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) and the Association of Police Authorities (APA).[8] He was from 2008 to 2012 chief executive of the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU), a London-based thinktank and registered charity.[9]
Parliamentary career[edit]
In October 2011, Sawford was selected to contest the marginal Corby constituency for Labour at the next general election.[9] Following the resignation of incumbent Conservative Louise Mensch in 2012, he won Corby at the subsequent by-election which became the first Labour by-election gain since 1997.
Sawford sat on the Communities and Local Government Committee from 2012 to 2013.[10] He was appointed as a Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government, responsible for local government, in October 2013.
He proposed a bill under the Ten Minute Rule that would allow the public sector to bid against private sector providers for control over rail franchises.[11] Sawford also proposed a Private Member's Bill on zero hours contracts.[12]
Sawford was defeated by Conservative Tom Pursglove at the 2015 general election, who won with a similar vote margin to Mensch's result in 2010.
Post-parliamentary career[edit]
After Parliament, Sawford became chief executive of Connect Communications,[13] and later led a management buy-out to take ownership of the business.[14] In June 2019 it was announced that Connect had acquired Stratagem, a Belfast-based public affairs agency.[15] He also serves on the board of the Public Relations and Communications Association,[16] and is a governor of the Kettering Buccleuch Academy.[17]
Personal life[edit]
His father, Phil Sawford, served as Labour MP for Kettering, a neighbouring constituency to Corby, from 1997 to 2005.[18]
References[edit]
- ^ "By-elections: Labour takes Corby from Conservatives". BBC News. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ "Election 2015: Corby taken from Labour by Tories". BBC News. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ^ "Local Information Unit Limited". Dellam Corporate Information. 23 July 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ a b Cotterill, Paul (6 August 2012). "As Louise Mensch resigns – Introducing Labour's candidate for Corby". Labourlist.org. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ "Results of Bye Elections Held 6 May 1999". Dartford Borough Council. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011.
- ^ "Former public affairs consultancy director takes chief post at LGiU". The Information Daily.com. 5 March 2008. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ Tura, Jo (23 March 2012). "What the Budget did for LAs: Andy Sawford talks to Room151". Room 151. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ "Meet Andy Sawford from the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU)". Simonwakeman.com. 15 June 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ a b "LGiU's Andy Sawford selected as Labour candidate for next election". Publicaffairsnews.com. 10 October 2011. Archived from the original on 1 February 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ "Andy Sawford". Parliament UK. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ^ Thomas, Nathalie (28 October 2014). "Labour steps up rail re-nationalisation campaign". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ^ "MP moves to reform zero-hours contracts". Independent.co.uk. 25 January 2014. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022.
- ^ "Connect hires ex-MP Andy Sawford as CEO".
- ^ "Connect Communications announces MBO and spins off 'Devo' arm as separate entity".
- ^ "Public affairs agency Connect merges with Belfast's Stratagem".
- ^ "Board of Management | PRCA".
- ^ "KBA > Primary 2 > Information > Governors".
- ^ "Like Father, Like Son: Andy Sawford big hit at Supper Club". Labourforwellingborough.org.uk. 4 November 2011. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
