Member of Parliament for Burton
Andrew is the Parliamentary Candidate for the Burton constituency, which covers Burton and Uttoxeter.
Andrew was born in Staffordshire, and was educated at his local secondary school. Upon leaving college, Andrew worked in the family engineering business in the West Midlands, manufacturing plant and equipment for the construction industry. Gaining an invaluable insight into the difficulties faced by small businesses played a key part in shaping Andrew's views on red tape and regulation, and need to support entrepreneurship.
Andrew later joined a High Street banking and estate agency group, where he became a manager specialising in property and financial services. This brought home to Andrew the financial difficulties faced by many young people trying to get on to the housing ladder, and the need for more affordable homes.
In 1999, Andrew went to work for the West Midlands MEP team in the European Parliament in Brussels. He worked on wide ranging policy issues including economic and monetary affairs, industry and transport. It was working in Brussels where Andrew developed his opposition to the Euro and interference from Brussels. As a eurosceptic, Andrew enjoyed defending British interests in Brussels, and opposing the Euro and further European integration.
Andrew was appointed Adviser on farming, working for the European Agricultural Spokesman Neil Parish MEP. Andrew worked with Britain's farmers, standing up for British interests, and working to get a better deal for our rural communities.
Andrew helped establish the European inquiry into the foot and mouth outbreak, the only truly public Inquiry into the outbreak, which produced a damming report into the Governments handling of the epidemic. Andrew also organised a number of campaigns against the illegal French ban on British Beef. Andrew is proud of the mantle he won as "a champion for Britain's farmers", and is determined to stand up for agriculture in Staffordshire
In 2004, Andrew returned to Westminster to work for the Shadow Cabinet, as Chief of Staff to the Rt. Hon. Theresa May MP, where he worked on environment, transport and later family policy.
In 2006, Andrew moved to work for the Culture, Media and Sport team, working as Chief of Staff to Hugo Swire MP and his team.
In 2007, Andrew worked on community cohesion and local government matters as Chief of Staff to Eric Pickles MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
He is currently Chief of Staff to the Chairman of the Conservative Party.
Andrew Griffiths' Experience
In 2001, Andrew stood as the Parliamentary candidate in Dudley North, where as a result of an energetic local campaign; he dramatically reduced the Labour majority.
He has been a School Governor, and worked with many local charities and community groups,
In 2004, Andrew stood as the Conservative candidate for the West Midlands in the European elections, and campaigned across Burton and Uttoxeter, as well as the rest of the West Midlands region. Andrew was the spokesman for farming and agriculture for the West Midlands team.
