Andrew Howard Western (born 18 March 1985) is a British politician serving as Member of Parliament (MP) for Stretford and Urmston since 2022. A member of the Labour Party, he has been Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transformation in the Department for Work and Pensions since 2024.[1] Prior to his election to Parliament, Western served as Leader of Trafford Council from 2018 to 2022.
Andrew Western | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2022 | |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transformation | |
| Assumed office 9 July 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Member of Parliament for Stretford and Urmston | |
| Assumed office 15 December 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Kate Green |
| Majority | 16,150 (35.1%) |
| Leader of Trafford Council | |
| In office 23 May 2018 – 17 December 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Sean Anstee |
| Succeeded by | Tom Ross |
| Member of Trafford Council for Priory | |
| In office 5 May 2011 – 4 May 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Roland Griffin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Andrew Howard Western 18 March 1985 Wythenshawe, Manchester, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Education | Altrincham Grammar School for Boys |
| Alma mater | University of Sheffield |
Early life
editAndrew Howard Western was born at Wythenshawe Hospital to Denise Western (née Firth) and Howard Western.[2] He grew up in Timperley, Trafford. He had four sisters, and describes his upbringing as "modest", saying that "after my parents' divorce times were tough"; he has stated that his family benefitted from Tax Credits, Child Tax Credits and the Educational Maintenance Allowance.
He attended Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, before studying History and Politics at Sheffield University, graduating in 2006.[3] He returned to Trafford after university, and before becoming council leader worked in project management within the engineering sector, focusing particularly on transport infrastructure. Western lives in Flixton.
Politics
editLocal government
editWestern joined the Labour Party in 2006, holding various roles at a branch and constituency level over the following 10 years.
He was first elected to Trafford Council at the 2011 local elections, representing Priory ward, which largely consists of Sale town centre.
Western was subsequently re-elected at both the 2015 and 2019 local government elections.
Western became Deputy Leader of the Labour Group on Trafford Council in May 2014, before becoming Labour Group Leader, and Leader of the Opposition, in November 2014.
At the 2018 local government elections , the Labour Party gained four seats from the Conservative Party, with the Tories suffering further losses to the Liberal Democrats and the Greens.
The Labour Party became the largest political group on Trafford Council, with the previously Tory-controlled authority being placed in a state of no overall control; Labour formed a minority-control administration governing the Council with the support of the Liberal Democrats in a confidence and supply arrangement. Western was confirmed as Council Leader shortly after the elections.[4]
At the 2019 local government elections, the Labour Party made further gains in Trafford, securing an additional six seats from the Conservative Party. The Labour Group obtained a majority of council seats, and formed an outright administration governing the Council. This was the first time since the 2004 boundary changes that Labour had managed to win a majority of seats.[5]
As Council Leader, Western sat on the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and prior to his election to Parliament was the Portfolio Lead for Place Based Regeneration (Housing and Infrastructure) as well as Clean Air. Between May 2018 and May 2019, he served as Portfolio Lead for Digital. He led on Green City Region between 2019 and 2021, before leading on Digital, Works and Skills for the second half of that year. He sat on the Transport for the North Board, the Greater Manchester Transport Committee and the North West Regional Leaders Board.[6]
In March 2019, Western publicly opposed the plans by Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham to make cuts to Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.[7]
Western was an active member of the Local Government Association, and as Chair of the LGA's Resources (Finance) Board was cross-party lead on finance in local government. He also represented Labour councillors in North West England as the LGA Labour Group rep for the Region. In June 2022, Western became Chair of the GM Transport Committee, a committee of councillors overseeing public transport in the City Region.
From July 2019 until March 2023, Western served as a non-executive director at Trafford Housing Trust. He was as a school governor at Wellfield Infant and Nursery School in Sale for over 15 years.[8]
Following his election to parliament in December 2022, Western resigned as leader of Trafford Council, being succeeded by Tom Ross.[9][10]
Parliament
editWestern had twice sought election to Parliament before being elected, being the Labour candidate in Altrincham and Sale West at the 2017 and 2019 general elections. On both occasions, he retained the party's second place, but was defeated by incumbent MP Sir Graham Brady. The previously safe Conservative seat, had, however, become marginal. In 2019, he and Brady both lost ground to the Liberal Democrats and Greens.[11]
On 26 June 2022, Western was selected to contest Stretford and Urmston after the upcoming retirement of incumbent Labour MP Kate Green at the next general election; Green resigned in November 2022, triggering a by-election, at which Western was the successful Labour candidate.[12] He won the by-election with 69.6% of the vote.[13]
In the Labour reshuffle of September 2023, Western was promoted to the Opposition Whip's Office. Following the 2024 General Election Western was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions as the Minister for Transformation.
Political views
editWestern supported Yvette Cooper in the 2015 Labour leadership election.[14] In the 2020 leadership election, he supported Lisa Nandy for Leader, backing Angela Rayner in the deputy leadership contest.[citation needed]
Western endorsed Tony Lloyd in the 2016 Greater Manchester Labour Party mayoral selection.[15]
In a speech to Stand Up to Racism Manchester, Western claimed to have "chased (Tommy Robinson) out of Trafford", and expressed his concern about Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, describing the latter as "far right".[16]
Electoral history
edit| Year | Constituency | Party | Votes | % of votes | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Stretford and Urmston | Labour | 22,642 | 49.2 | ||
| 2022 by-election | Stretford and Urmston | Labour | 12,828 | 69.6 | ||
| 2019 | Altrincham and Sale West | Labour | 20,172 | 36.8 | ||
| 2017 | Altrincham and Sale West | Labour | 20,507 | 38.8 | ||
| Year | Borough | Ward | Party | Votes | % of votes | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Trafford | Priory | Labour | 1,511 | 48.8 | ||
| 2015 | Trafford | Priory | Labour | 2,407 | 42.9 | ||
| 2011 | Trafford | Priory | Labour | 1,510 | 43.3 | ||
| 2010 | Trafford | Broadheath | Labour | 1,799 | 29.3 | ||
| 2008 | Trafford | Broadheath | Labour | 836 | 26.9 | ||
| 2007 | Trafford | Hale Barns | Labour | 284 | 9.1 | ||
References
edit- ^ "Ministerial Appointments: July 2024". GOV.UK. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ "New Member of Parliament for Stretford and Urmston". UK Parliament. 16 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ "Andrew Western – Trafford Labour Party". Trafford Labour. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ "Trafford's green bin tax could be scrapped – after the council's Labour and Liberal Democrat groups strike a deal". Manchester Evening News. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
- ^ "Western: Trafford not a Nimby council". Place North West. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
- ^ "Councillor Andrew Western". Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ "Mayor's fire service cuts will 'risk public safety', warns council leader". Manchester Evening News. 29 March 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
- ^ "Trafford Housing Trust". traffordhousingtrust.co.uk. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
- ^ Western, Andrew [@AndrewHWestern] (17 December 2022). "Today my time as longest serving current @UKLabour Group Leader in Greater Manchester ends. Excited to welcome our new Leader & work with them to improve our communities. It's been an amazing 8 years leading brilliant @Trafford_Labour colleagues-special thanks to @CatherineLHynes" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 December 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Western, Andrew [@AndrewHWestern] (17 December 2022). "Nobody better. So delighted to hand the reins over to such an incredible Leader! https://t.co/SE4tCusM06" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 17 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ "General Election 2019 Results: Altrincham & Sale West". BBC News. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- ^ "Labour MP steps down after Greater Manchester deputy mayor nomination". BBC News. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
- ^ Pidd, Helen (16 December 2022). "Labour easily holds on to Stretford and Urmston in byelection". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Corbyn leads on councillor endorsements". Conservative Home. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
- ^ "Tony Lloyd has five council chiefs backing him for Greater Manchester Mayor". Manchester Evening News. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
- ^ YouTube Stand Up to Racism Manchester, Andrew Western speaking to Stand Up tp (sic) Racism conference, posted "3 years" ago.
- ^ "UK Parliamentary General Election – 2019". Retrieved 14 January 2020.
- ^ "UK Parliamentary General Election – 2017". Retrieved 14 January 2020.
- ^ "Local Election May 2019 results". Retrieved 14 January 2020.
- ^ "Parliamentary and Local Election 2015". Retrieved 14 January 2020.