# Andrew Lewin

Andrew Alan Lewin (born 7 January 1987) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Welwyn Hatfield since the 2024 general election.

## Early life and education

Lewin was born on 7 January 1987 at the original Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. He attended The Bishop's Stortford High School from 1998 to 2005 before graduating from the University of York with a BA in Politics in 2008.

## Political career

Lewin joined the Liberal Democrats in 2003, while still at secondary school. He was selected as the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Hertford and Stortford in October 2009. In the 2010 general election, 23-year-old Lewin, the youngest Lib Dem candidate in England, lost to Mark Prisk of the Conservative Party by a margin of 15,437 votes. In November 2010, Lewin defected to the Labour Party, citing his dissatisfaction with the decisions of Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and the coalition government, specifically the trebling of university tuition fees, as his reason.
In response to the 2016 Brexit referendum, Lewin founded the pro-European group Remain Labour in 2017 and ran the group until its dissolution in 2021. He endorsed Jess Phillips in the 2020 Labour leadership election. Lewin was selected as the Labour Party parliamentary candidate for Welwyn Hatfield by members of the constituency Labour Party in March 2023. He won the constituency in the 2024 general election, defeating the incumbent Conservative Grant Shapps by a margin of 3,799 votes. Lewin was sworn in by solemn affirmation, rather than an oath, on 10 July.
In November 2024, Lewin was elected Chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Cricket. The following month, Lewin was elected Chair of the UK Trade and Business Commission and the all-party parliamentary group on New Towns.

## Political positions
### Brexit

Lewin has previously campaigned in favour of remaining in the European Union (EU). He cited his reasons for setting up Remain Labour as being due to his belief that "Brexit would hit hardest those who have least." He also said it was the responsibility of the Labour party to stand against a project which he said would do "most damage" to the "poorest communities."
Ahead of the 2019 general election, Lewin called for a "Remain Alliance" consisting of Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens to be formed in opposition to Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He said that the prospect of a no-deal Brexit was "motivation enough" to form the alliance, and called on the parties to recognise that they had "more in common" instead of exaggerating their differences "for party gain".
In an article Lewin wrote for LabourList in June 2022, he said that many wearily "read reports that prove beyond doubt that Brexit has set us back" and said that the impact was seen in communities; citing a 6% rise in food prices as being "directly attributed" to leaving the EU. He called on Labour to make an "early manifesto pledge" to not rejoin the EU in its first term in power, saying that any proposal would "consume" a first-term Labour government and potentially "play into the hands of the Conservatives", and also stated that he thought it was "inconceivable" that all EU member states would welcome the UK back into the EU. He also called on Labour to set out priority for cooperation with the EU regarding scientific research, climate change and energy security, and also to commit to a stronger trading relationship with the EU ahead of the next general election.

### Assisted dying

In November 2024, Lewin voted in support of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, a bill to legalise assisted dying, after all MPs were given a free vote. He stated that, whilst he respected "deeply held positions" on either side of the debate, he believed that those with terminal illnesses, or without the financial means to undergo the procedure at Dignitas in Switzerland, should be allowed the option of assisted dying with "appropriate safeguards". Lewin also opined that the bill's proposed safeguards were "arguably the strongest in the world".

### Electoral reform

Lewin voted to switch to the alternative vote in the 2011 referendum. In January 2025, Lewin expressed support for proportional representation to be used for general elections, though he stated he believed the "vital link" between MPs and their constituencies should be preserved. He stated his support for a referendum in the next parliament to switch to a proportional system.

### Russia and Ukraine

Lewin supported Ukraine following Russia's invasion in 2022, attending a vigil in support of Ukraine in February 2023. In February 2025, he criticised U.S. President Donald Trump for opening peace negotiations with Russia without the involvement of Ukraine, calling it "a dangerous moment" and stating that peace "should only come on terms agreed by President Zelenskyy".

## Personal life

Lewin lives in Welwyn Garden City with his wife and two sons. He worked at Clarion Housing Group from 2017 until his election to Parliament in 2024. At Clarion, Lewin was initially the head of external communications until his promotion in 2021 to director of communications, a role he held until becoming an MP.

## Electoral history
### 2020s

General election 2024: Welwyn Hatfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Andrew Lewin | 19,877 | 41.0 | +9.3 |
| | Conservative | Grant Shapps | 16,078 | 33.2 | −19.4 |
| | Reform UK | Jack Aaron | 6,397 | 13.2 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Munro | 3,117 | 6.4 | −6.3 |
| | Green | Sarah Butcher | 2,986 | 6.2 | +3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,799 | 7.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,455 | 64.6 | −4.9 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +14.4 | |

### 2010s

General election 2010: Hertford and Stortford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mark Prisk | 29,810 | 53.8 | +3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Lewin | 14,373 | 26.0 | +7.5 |
| | Labour | Stephen Terry | 7,620 | 13.8 | –10.5 |
| | UKIP | David Sodey | 1,716 | 3.1 | +1.0 |
| | BNP | Roy Harris | 1,297 | 2.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | Loucas Xenophontos | 325 | 0.6 | N/A |
| | Independent | Martin Adams | 236 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,437 | 27.8 | +1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,377 | 70.6 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | –1.9 | |