Andy Sawford

Andrew Sawford (born 15 March 1976) is a British Labour and Co-operative Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Corby from a 2012 by-election until the 2015 general election.

Sawford was born on 15 March 1976. He was educated at a comprehensive school. He went on to study history at Durham University and graduated in 1997.

Following university, Sawford worked in Parliament for the then-Corby MP Phil Hope. He was a councillor and Cabinet Member on Dartford Borough Council in Kent from 1999 to 2003 representing Littlebrook Ward. Sawford also worked for the Local Government Association (LGA).

From 2003 to 2007 he was director of Connect Public Affairs advising local authorities and organisations such as the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) and the Association of Police Authorities (APA). He was from 2008 to 2012 chief executive of the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU), a London-based thinktank and registered charity, prior to being selected by the Labour Party as their candidate for Corby.

His father, Phil Sawford, was the Labour MP for Kettering from 1997 to 2005.

In Parliament, Sawford proposed a bill under the Ten Minute Rule that would allow the public sector to bid against private sector providers for control over rail franchises.

He was the Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government from 2013 until the 2015 general election, and sat on the Communities and Local Government committee