Tories defend Yorkshire MP's promotion to Wales Office

The new man at the Wales Office - Pudsey MP Stuart Andrew

He's the first Yorkshire MP in the Wales Office since William Hague (whatever happened to him?).

But Anglesey-born Stuart Andrew is "a Welsh-speaking Welshman" according to a UK government source sensitive to the charge that Theresa May has appointed an English MP to the department charged with representing Wales.

He may be Welsh and speak the language but Pudsey is not a Welsh constituency and he is not personally accountable to Welsh voters.

Mr Andrew is the first MP for an English constituency in the Wales Office since Cheryl Gillan (who David Cameron sacked because he thought it was time for a Welsh MP in the role).

His new boss, Alun Cairns, said: "I am delighted to welcome Stuart Andrew to the office of the Secretary of State for Wales. I've worked with him over many years so I know that he will be an excellent champion for Wales within Whitehall and a fantastic representative for the UK government in Wales."

'Unfit'

Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards had a slightly different take on his appointment, reflecting Labour's difficulties in finding a Welsh MP to sit on the Welsh affairs committee: "There are 36 Labour and Tory MPs in Wales - it is telling that they have either been considered by their London bosses to be unfit for their jobs or they themselves have no interest in doing their job of protecting Wales's interests."

If Welsh Conservative backbenchers are upset at being overlooked in what the Daily Mail described as the "massacre of the middle-aged men", they are putting a brave face on it. Monmouth MP David Davies, chair of the Welsh affairs committee, told me: "I think Stuart Andrew will bring a great deal to the job."

He also welcomed Thelma Walker's arrival on his select committee: "She made a very good contribution [on farming and Brexit] yesterday. As a Unionist I am delighted that we have her."

Among other Welsh Tories, Glyn Davies (still parliamentary aide to Alun Cairns) and Simon Hart are said to have other priorities and have made themselves "unavailable for selection".

Brecon and Radnorshire MP Chris Davies also welcomed Stuart Andrew's appointment: "He's a Welshman, a Welsh-speaker, he was a councillor in Wrexham. The Wales Office role is a joint role with the whips' office. I will happily work with him."

Given the power of the whips' office, it might also be sensible office (and domestic) politics for Welsh MPs in their charge to welcome their new whip.

The Wales Office declined our request for an interview with the new minister.