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Housing minister Stuart Andrew resigns after 148 days
Stuart Andrew has quit as housing minister amid a flurry of ministerial resignations from Boris Johnson’s government.
In a resignation letter published on Twitter, Stuart Andrew said he had “no other choice to resign”, adding that he cannot “tolerate” Conservative Party members “having to defend the indefensible”.
The resignation means Mr Andrew lasted 148 days in his role, making him the shortest serving housing minister in the past 25 years.
Mr Andrew is the 18th Conservative MP to resign from Mr Johnson’s government in the past 24 hours after chancellor Rishi Sunak and health secretary Sajid Javid handed in their resignations on Tuesday evening.
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It follows the fall-out from the resignation of former housing minister Christopher Pincher from his role as deputy chief whip last week.
The resignation was first reported by The Sun, which said Mr Pincher had allegedly been seen groping two men at a private members club while drunk.
In his resignation letter, Mr Andrew said: “Loyalty and unity are traits that I have always endeavored to provide for our great party.
“However, I fear I have let these override my judgment recently. There comes a time when you have to look at your own personal integrity and this time is now.”
He added: “Our party, particularly our members and most importantly our great country, deserve better.
“Having a marginal seat, I have seen the huge sacrifice our members make in volunteering considerable hours to campaign on our behalf and I cannot, in all good conscious, tolerate them having to defend the indefensible.”
Mr Andrew offered his apologies to the housing sector “who will have to get to know yet another housing minister”, but commended the sector and those in local government “who are doing so much to address the housing needs of our country”.
