THE Whitehaven and Workington Conservative Association has selected Andrew Johnson as its new Prospective Parliamentary Candidate.

Andrew was voted in by members of the Association at a meeting at Whitehaven Civic Hall yesterday (Sunday).

Andrew was born in the West Cumberland Hospital and was brought up in Distington, where he attended Distington Infant and Junior School before heading to Keswick School and then on to Lancaster University.

The son of a retired JCB operator who worked for what was then Seymour Plant Hire in Whitehaven, and a retired primary school teacher who finished her career at Bransty, Andrew’s family is long established within the area.

His dad was born on a farm in Eskdale, which is also a place where Andrew’s aunt was for many years head chef at the Bower House Inn, and his mum was born in Boot to a farming family from Wasdale; they moved to Distington in 1971 and where they still live today.

Following a passion for motorbikes, Andrew’s first job was working for West Cumbrian entrepreneur and motocross dealer Bill Brown at his old premises on High Street in Whitehaven, before like many of his friends at the time, he ventured further afield after leaving university.

Andrew’s career has spanned working in the civil service, in local government, and for the last 13 years for global business management consultancy firm, FTI Consulting, based in its London office and working in a range of sectors including energy, property, and healthcare.

In addition, Andrew has been a leader of a high-profile unitary council and was once the youngest mayor in the country in Hammersmith & Fulham in 2008.

Outside of work and politics, he enjoys competing in classic scrambles, trials, fell walking, gardening and restoring cars and classic bikes.

Andrew said: "I am a proud West Cumbrian and it was a real privilege to grow up here. But I know only too well that the area desperately needs continued investment and promotion to build upon the great work started by Trudy Harrison MP, Mark Jenkinson MP, and the local Conservatives.

“This is exactly why I am 100 per cent supportive of the new coal mine for Whitehaven, and in making sure that West Cumbria remains at the forefront of UK excellence in the nuclear industry.”

The selection process has been triggered due to the changes in the Parliamentary boundaries that have created the new Whitehaven and Workington seat.

The current incumbent of Workington, Mark Jenkinson, has been selected for the new Penrith and Solway constituency, while Trudy Harrison, the member for Copeland, has announced that she will stand down at the next General Election.

Every member of the Conservative Party in Whitehaven and Workington had the opportunity to take part in the selection process.

Andy Pratt, Chair of the Whitehaven and Workington Conservative Association, said: “It gives me great pleasure to announce Andrew Johnson as the Conservative Party’s candidate for the new Whitehaven and Workington constituency.

“Andrew has been selected by the membership from a strong field of candidates. This will not be an easy campaign ahead of us, with many challenges locally and nationally to address, but I am certain we can build on the success of our sitting MPs Trudy Harrison and Mark Jenkinson and continue to make our area a great place for education, employment, leisure and to live.”