MP committed to constituency despite new Tory role

Stuart Andrew was elected as MP for Daventry in the July 2024 election

The new shadow health secretary said he is still committed to his constituency describing it as his "bread and butter".

Stuart Andrew took on the role in Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch's reshuffle of her senior team last week.

The MP for Daventry was previously the shadow culture secretary and a minister in Boris Johnson's government.

But he said his work in the constituency was the "part of the job I absolutely love doing. So it's really it's about making sure you put in the hours".

Andrew replaced Edward Argar, who stood down following a "health scare".

He told BBC Radio Northampton's Annabel Amos that the offer of the role was "quite a surprise".

"I'm under no illusions of the enormity of the task I have ahead of me, but it is one that I have quite an interest in. So I'm looking forward to it," he added.

The MP said he is "quite used to" juggling constituency work and being in the shadow cabinet.

"I know that my constituency is my bread and butter if you like, [constituents] are always are a priority for me.

"I always do what I can to help my constituents when they come and see me asking for my help and go out and about."

'Tricky position'

Resident doctors held a five-day strike over pay and conditions

The MP, who represented Pudsey in West Yorkshire from 2010 until the constituency was abolished before the July 2024 election, said he would "work constructively" with Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

But Andrew was critical of his handling of the recent strike by resident doctors in England and said the health secretary should have put in guarantees over industrial action when medics were awarded a pay rise last year.

"The government have got themselves in a really tricky position, and what we need to do is make sure that the patients in this country are getting the care that they need," he said.

Andrew has also written to the General Medical Council to say resident doctors should be prevented from striking.

The British Medical Association (BMA), a trade union for doctors, and the health secretary agreed to resume talks earlier this week.

Streeting warned the union it had lost the government's goodwill because of the latest strike, which finished on Wednesday.