Shadow health minister quits Badenoch's top team
UK ParliamentThe shadow health secretary Stuart Andrew has quit Kemi Badenoch's Conservative frontbench team in a week that has seen two other high-profile politicians - Dame Priti Patel and Sir James Cleverley - also resign from the shadow cabinet.
Andrew, MP for Daventry in Northamptonshire, announced the news on X and said he would focus on constituency work.
He held ministerial posts between 2017 and 2024 and became shadow secretary of state for health and social care in July 2025.
"It has been a privilege to serve in numerous roles... and I am so grateful for all the support I have received personally from colleagues, my shadow health team and my constituency team," he said.
His announcement comes days after Sir James, Conservative MP for Braintree in Essex, announced he would be resigning his housing brief in the shadow cabinet in order to run for London mayor.
Dame Priti, shadow foreign secretary and Conservative MP for Witham, also in Essex, said she would be leaving the front benches to take up a new role focused on strengthening "links with sister parties and centre right movements around the world".
She will be replaced by Tom Tugendhat who will return to a senior role for the first time since he came in fourth in the 2024 Tory leadership election, which was won by Badenoch.
A Conservative reshuffle had been expected in the coming weeks, because of the shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho's upcoming maternity leave and an understanding that, after two years, the leader of the opposition wanted to refresh her front bench.
Carroll Weston/BBCAndrew represented Pudsey in West Yorkshire from 2010 until the constituency was abolished prior to the July 2024 election.
During his time in government he held junior ministerial posts at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Department for Business & Trade; Department for International Trade; HM Household; Ministry of Justice; Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities; Ministry of Defence, the Wales Office and also in the Whips Office.
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In opposition, he served as the Conservatives' chief whip between July 2024 and November 2024, and was the shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport from November 2024 to July 2025.
He said: "I would also like to thank all those working across the NHS and social care for their help and co-operation in my most recent role.
"I am proud of the role I played in the months immediately after the general election in ensuring we hit the ground running in opposition, and I wish Kemi, my successor and the whole shadow cabinet every success for the future.
"I now look forward to continuing to work hard on behalf of all my constituents in the wonderful Daventry constituency."
'Clear-out'
BBC East's political editor Andrew Sinclair said: "During a period dominated by Conservative in-fighting, five party leaders relied on Stuart Andrew to quietly, but thoroughly, get on with whatever job he was given.
"When many Conservatives went to ground after the 2024 general election defeat, he took on the thankless role of opposition chief whip, trying to maintain party discipline in House of Commons votes at a time when the Tories were choosing a new leader.
"His departure comes as part of a wider clear-out of big names from the Conservatives' time in government.
"Kemi Badenoch wants to draw up a team which will probably be more 'punchy', but which is also primarily not associated with the party of the past.
"Andrew's departure is probably no reflection on him, but is just a wish by the leader to move on and present a fresher and newer party.
"He has only been a Northamptonshire MP for a couple of years and has often spoken of his love for his new constituency.
"He is likely to be the sort of representative who will not sit quietly on the back benches and will regularly speak up for Daventry."
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