Andrew Griffiths (politician)
{{Short description|British politician}}
{{About|the MP for Burton|the MP for Arundel and South Downs|Andrew Griffith}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Andrew Griffiths
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Official portrait of Andrew Griffiths crop 2.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Official portrait, 2017
| office = Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility
| primeminister = Theresa May
| predecessor = Margot James
| successor = Kelly Tolhurst
| term_start = 9 January 2018
| term_end = 13 July 2018
| office1 = Lord Commissioner of the Treasury
| primeminister1 = Theresa May
| predecessor1 = Mel Stride
| successor1 = Nigel Adams
| term_start1 = 17 July 2016
| term_end1 = 9 January 2018
| office2 = Member of Parliament
for Burton
| parliament2 =
| predecessor2 = Janet Dean
| successor2 = Kate Griffiths
| term_start2 = 6 May 2010
| term_end2 = 6 November 2019
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1970|10|19}}
| birth_place = Dudley, Staffordshire, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = British
| spouse = {{marriage|Kate Kniveton|2013|2018|reason=sep.}}
| party = Conservative
| relations =
| children = 1
| residence =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Politician
| profession =
| signature =
| website = {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20190825063901/http://www.andrewgriffithsmp.com/ andrewgriffithsmp.com]}}
| footnotes =
}}
Andrew James Griffiths (born 19 October 1970) is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Burton from 2010 to 2019. A member of the Conservative Party, he was succeeded by his estranged wife, Kate Griffiths.
During his parliamentary career, Griffiths was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from January 2018. He resigned in July 2018 after the Sunday Mirror reported that he had sent up to 2,000 sexually explicit text messages to two female constituents.
Early life and career
Andrew Griffiths was born on 19 October 1970 in Dudley, Staffordshire to Robert and Harriet Griffiths (née Du'Rose). He attended Bramford Primary School and High Arcal School. He is the youngest of their five children. His father was a local councillor for 34 years and Mayor of Dudley in 1982.{{cite book|access-date=13 September 2019|url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-251152|title=Griffiths, Andrew James|publisher=UK Who's Who|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U251152 |isbn=978-0-19-954088-4 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.sedgleylocalhistory.org.uk/ft/sj/SJ_9.pdf|title=Winter 2015/16|publisher=Sedgley Journal|page=2|access-date=13 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209122055/http://www.sedgleylocalhistory.org.uk/ft/sj/SJ_9.pdf|archive-date=9 December 2017|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2012/05/21/The-Big-Interview-Andrew-Griffiths-MP-chair-All-Party-Parliamentary-Beer-Group|title=The Big Interview: Andrew Griffiths MP, chair All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group|work=The Morning Advertiser|date=20 May 2012|access-date=13 September 2019|last=Perrett|first=Michelle}} After finishing secondary school, Griffiths joined the family engineering business. He then worked for the Leeds Permanent Building Society.{{cite web|url=http://www.journaloftradingstandards.co.uk/inside-trading-standards/in-conversation-with-andrew-griffiths/|title=Interview: Andrew Griffiths|last=Nugent|first=Helen|publisher=Journal of Trading Standards|date=12 May 2018|access-date=13 September 2019|archive-date=28 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128014459/https://www.journaloftradingstandards.co.uk/inside-trading-standards/in-conversation-with-andrew-griffiths/|url-status=dead}}
In 1999, Griffiths began to work for the West Midlands constituency MEP team in the European Parliament in Brussels, before being appointed adviser on farming. He worked for the European Agricultural Spokesman Neil Parish MEP. Griffiths stood as a Conservative council candidate on three separate occasions, but was not elected. He first contested the safe Labour seat of Dudley North at the 2001 general election, coming in 6,800 votes behind Labour's Ross Cranston.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/results_constituencies/constituencies/203.stm|publisher=BBC News|title=Dudley North|access-date=13 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121023545/http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/results_constituencies/constituencies/203.stm|archive-date=21 November 2015|url-status=live}} Griffiths unsuccessfully stood as a Conservative candidate at the 2004 European Parliament election in the West Midlands constituency.{{cite web|url=https://www.politics.co.uk/reference/andrew-griffiths|title=Andrew Griffiths|publisher=politics.co.uk|access-date=13 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913163250/http://politics.co.uk/reference/andrew-griffiths|archive-date=13 September 2016|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/vote2004/euro_uk/html/37.stm|title=European Election: West Midlands Result|date=14 June 2014|access-date=13 September 2019|publisher=BBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624072606/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/vote2004/euro_uk/html/37.stm|archive-date=24 June 2016|url-status=live}}
After the election, he became chief of staff to MP Theresa May. In 2006, he moved to work for the Culture, Media and Sport team, working as chief of staff to Hugo Swire. After Swire was removed as part of a cabinet reshuffle, Griffiths became chief of staff to Eric Pickles, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and remained Pickles' chief of staff when he became the Conservative Party chairman.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7661120.stm|title=Shadow Cabinet: Who's Who|publisher=BBC News|date=9 September 2009|access-date=13 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508043001/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7661120.stm|archive-date=8 May 2014|url-status=live}} He was a member of the A-List and was selected as a parliamentary candidate for Burton in November 2006.{{cite web|url=http://conservativehome.blogs.com/goldlist/2009/04/where-are-the-original-alisters-now-the-27-who-have-been-selected-for-target-seats.html|title=Where are the original A-Listers now? The 27 who have been selected for target seats|access-date=7 April 2012|date=22 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102152141/http://conservativehome.blogs.com/goldlist/2009/04/where-are-the-original-alisters-now-the-27-who-have-been-selected-for-target-seats.html|archive-date=2 November 2011|url-status=live}}
Parliamentary career
Griffiths was elected at the 2010 general election for Burton, regaining the seat for the Conservatives for the first time since 1997 when it was held by Ivan Lawrence from 1974. Griffiths was re-elected at the 2015 general election.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000610|title=BBC News – Election 2015 – Constituency – Burton|access-date=8 May 2015|work=BBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411124618/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000610|archive-date=11 April 2019|url-status=live}} He served as secretary of the All-party parliamentary group (APPG) for the Misuse of Drugs and Alcohol, additional general secretary of the APPG for Kashmir, and vice-chairman of the APPG for Home Education. He was chairman of the APPG for Beer for five years and campaigned against increased taxes on beer (the beer duty escalator). He was a member of the Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee between 2010 and 2013.
Griffiths did not join fellow local Conservative MPs Andrew Bridgen and Heather Wheeler in campaigning for the return of passenger rail services on the Burton to Leicester railway line via the Ivanhoe Line.{{cite news|title=New Calls to Reopen Railway Line|url=http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/New-calls-to-reopen-historic-railway-line-20131205113322.html|work=Burton Mail|access-date=7 December 2013|date=5 December 2013}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} However, he did campaign for improvements to be made to Burton Station.{{cite news|title=Improvements to 'hideous' Burton station edge a step closer as politicians and rail bosses join forces|url=https://www.burtonmail.co.uk/news/burton-news/improvements-hideous-burton-station-edge-1272042|work=Burton Mail|access-date=2 April 2018|date=15 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403051558/https://www.burtonmail.co.uk/news/burton-news/improvements-hideous-burton-station-edge-1272042|archive-date=3 April 2018|url-status=live}}
In February 2015, Griffiths was awarded Parliamentarian of the Year by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) in recognition of his role in campaigning for the reduction of tax increases on beer. The award sparked controversy from some CAMRA campaigners due to Griffiths' opposition to other CAMRA campaigns on increasing planning controls on public houses to prevent their loss, and for opposing reform to the controversial system of "beer ties" which oblige landlords to pay higher prices to the chain owners (pubcos) for their beer supplies.{{cite news|title=Uproar after Andrew Griffithd MP handed CAMRA Award|url=https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2015/02/04/Uproar-after-Andrew-Griffiths-MP-handed-CAMRA-award|work=Morning Advertiser|access-date=2 April 2018|date=4 February 2015}}
Griffths supported the UK remaining within the EU in the 2016 EU membership referendum.{{cite news|last1=Goodenough|first1=Tom|title=Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?|url=http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/which-tory-mps-back-brexit-who-doesnt-and-who-is-still-on-the-fence/|access-date=11 October 2016|work=The Spectator|date=16 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502030758/https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/02/which-tory-mps-back-brexit-who-doesnt-and-who-is-still-on-the-fence/|archive-date=2 May 2019|url-status=live}}
Following Theresa May becoming Prime Minister in July 2016, Griffiths was appointed as a junior government whip with the title of lord commissioner of HM Treasury{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/agriffithsmp/status/754591975203074048|title=Andrew Griffiths on Twitter|access-date=17 July 2016}} on 17 July 2016.
During Jeremy Corbyn's response to the November 2017 Budget on 22 November 2017, Griffiths heckled him over his comments on the lack of adequate Government funding for care homes. Labour MPs accused Griffiths of ageism and abusive language for shouting that Corbyn belonged in a care home.{{cite news|last=Forrester|first=Kate|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/labour-mps-reveal-alleged-budget-jibe-by-tory-whip-who-said-jeremy-corbyn-should-be-in-care_uk_5a15cf78e4b025f8e9334020|title=Labour MPs Reveal Alleged Budget Jibe By Tory Whip Who Said Jeremy Corbyn 'Should Be In Care'|work=Huff Post|date=23 November 2017|access-date=17 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228034042/http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/labour-mps-reveal-alleged-budget-jibe-by-tory-whip-who-said-jeremy-corbyn-should-be-in-care_uk_5a15cf78e4b025f8e9334020|archive-date=28 December 2017|url-status=live}} Griffiths denied this, instead suggesting that he was responding to Corbyn's statement "there are elderly people in need of help," and that he said: "That's you!"{{cite news|last=Price|first=Rob|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/corbyn-attacks-tory-whip-andrew-griffiths-alleged-care-home-joke-2017-11|title=Jeremy Corbyn angrily tears into Tory MP for allegedly joking he should be 'in a care home'|work=Business Insider|date=22 November 2017|access-date=17 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227150730/http://uk.businessinsider.com/corbyn-attacks-tory-whip-andrew-griffiths-alleged-care-home-joke-2017-11|archive-date=27 December 2017|url-status=live}} Corbyn responded with the comment: "The uncaring, uncouth attitude of certain members of parliament needs to be called out".
He served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility in 2018.
On 12 February 2018, Griffiths received media coverage after he was interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live to promote shared parental leave and said that he would not be able to take it himself when his own baby was due to be born later that year, saying, "Unfortunately, as a minister, I'm not allowed... Ministers are not allowed to take shared parental leave." The presenter, Emma Barnett, said: "Hang on a minute, back up a second, you’ve just come on the radio to promote Shared Parental Leave and you’re in a job where the rules could be changed because you are the rule-makers, where you’re not allowed to take Shared Parental Leave?" "That’s right," responded Griffiths. "How can you say that without laughing?" asked Barnett. Griffiths said his main concern was for other parents to take advantage of the system.{{cite news|title=Minister promoting shared parental leave says he can't take shared leave|url=https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/feb/12/minister-promoting-shared-parental-leave-says-he-cant-take-shared-leave|work=Guardian|access-date=2 April 2018|date=12 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310034305/https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/feb/12/minister-promoting-shared-parental-leave-says-he-cant-take-shared-leave|archive-date=10 March 2018|url-status=live}}
In March 2018, Griffiths was criticised by opposition MPs for blocking an SNP proposal for a bill that would secure the national minimum wage for those working on a "trial period" basis. It was revealed that Griffiths had previously advertised for an unpaid intern position in his own office. In response, Griffiths admitted he had used unpaid interns, but argued that the bill was not needed because existing law was already adequate in this area.{{cite news|title=Andrew Griffiths MP comes under fire for unpaid intern job advert during debate|url=https://www.burtonmail.co.uk/news/local-news/andrew-griffiths-mp-comes-under-1358929|work=Burton Mail|access-date=2 April 2018|date=20 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403051547/https://www.burtonmail.co.uk/news/local-news/andrew-griffiths-mp-comes-under-1358929|archive-date=3 April 2018|url-status=live}}
Griffiths did not stand at the 2019 general election after party members did not reselect him.{{cite news|url=https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/burton/andrew-griffiths-election-burton-tory-3528084|work=Derby Telegraph|title=Shock result at dramatic Tory meeting to decide future of Andrew Griffiths in Burton|last=Kreft|first=Helen|date=12 November 2019|access-date=15 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215094121/https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/burton/andrew-griffiths-election-burton-tory-3528084|archive-date=15 December 2019|url-status=live}} His estranged wife Kate was selected as the Conservative candidate and succeeded him as the MP for his constituency Burton.{{cite news|title=General election 2019: Kate Griffiths elected in Burton|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50770931|work=BBC News|access-date=13 December 2019|author=|date=13 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213084058/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50770931|archive-date=13 December 2019|url-status=live}}
=Sexual misconduct allegations=
On 14 July 2018, the Sunday Mirror reported that Griffiths had sent up to 2,000 sexually explicit texts in a three-week period to two of his female constituents. In response to this, he resigned from his ministerial position and he was suspended by the Conservative Party.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44833946|title=Minister resigns over texts to women|date=14 July 2018|work=BBC News|access-date=14 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715004249/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44833946|archive-date=15 July 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=MP Andrew Griffiths quits ministerial post after "sex texts" to female constituents are revealed|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/07/14/mp-andrew-griffiths-quits-ministerial-post-sex-texts-female/|work=telegraph.co.uk|access-date=14 July 2018|author=|date=14 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714190356/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/07/14/mp-andrew-griffiths-quits-ministerial-post-sex-texts-female/|archive-date=14 July 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/oct/11/suspended-tory-mp-andrew-griffiths-seeks-early-resolution-to-explicit-texts-inquiry|work=The Guardian|title=Suspended Tory MP seeks early resolution to explicit texts inquiry|date=11 October 2018|access-date=13 September 2019|last=Walker|first=Peter|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102195013/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/oct/11/suspended-tory-mp-andrew-griffiths-seeks-early-resolution-to-explicit-texts-inquiry|archive-date=2 November 2019|url-status=live}} He had previously been accused of inappropriate touching and bullying of a Conservative borough councillor and the bullying of the leader of another council as well as his former campaign manager.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jul/17/andrew-griffiths-made-minister-despite-touching-allegations|work=The Guardian|title=Andrew Griffiths was made minister despite 'touching' allegations|last=Halliday|first=Josh|date=17 July 2018|access-date=13 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706144848/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jul/17/andrew-griffiths-made-minister-despite-touching-allegations|archive-date=6 July 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/21/theresa-may-pressure-andrew-griffiths-bullying-allegations|work=The Guardian|title=May under pressure over Andrew Griffiths bullying allegations|last=Halliday|first=Josh|date=21 July 2018|access-date=13 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200104052610/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/21/theresa-may-pressure-andrew-griffiths-bullying-allegations|archive-date=4 January 2020|url-status=live}}
In November 2018, during an interview with The Sunday Times, Griffiths claimed that he had planned to kill himself after the sexual misconduct allegations came to light. During the same interview, Griffiths said that the texts that he had sent to the women were "the result of my mental breakdown" following a "battle with my own mental health". He disclosed that he had a long history of mental health problems resulting from being allegedly abused at the age of eight by a fifteen-year-old boy.{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/andrew-griffiths-mental-breakdown-drove-mp-to-send-shameful-sex-texts-q83dp9qgg|work=The Sunday Times|date=4 November 2018|access-date=13 September 2019|title=Andrew Griffiths interview: mental breakdown drove MP to send 'shameful' sex texts|last=Wheeler|first=Caroline|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731223300/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/andrew-griffiths-mental-breakdown-drove-mp-to-send-shameful-sex-texts-q83dp9qgg|archive-date=31 July 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Tory MP who sexted women says he was having manic episode|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/nov/04/tory-mp-andrew-griffiths-who-sexted-women-says-he-was-having-manic-episode|work=The Guardian|date=4 November 2018|access-date=13 September 2019|last=Halliday|first=Josh|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190907230435/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/nov/04/tory-mp-andrew-griffiths-who-sexted-women-says-he-was-having-manic-episode|archive-date=7 September 2019|url-status=live}}
On 12 December 2018, Griffiths had the Conservative whip restored, ending his suspension from the party.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/12/tory-mps-suspended-over-sex-allegations-reinstated-for-confidence-vote|title=Tories reinstate MPs suspended over sex allegations for confidence vote|first=Rajeev|last=Syal|date=12 December 2018|access-date=13 December 2018|via=www.theguardian.com|newspaper=The Guardian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181212225407/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/12/tory-mps-suspended-over-sex-allegations-reinstated-for-confidence-vote|archive-date=12 December 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andrew-griffiths-tory-mp-theresa-may-no-confidence-vote-whip-suspended-sex-text-conservatives-a8680081.html|title=Conservatives restore whip to MPs suspended over claims of sexual misconduct so they can take part in Theresa May no-confidence vote|date=12 December 2018|website=The Independent|access-date=13 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181212195942/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andrew-griffiths-tory-mp-theresa-may-no-confidence-vote-whip-suspended-sex-text-conservatives-a8680081.html|archive-date=12 December 2018|url-status=live}} His reinstation was widely criticised for being announced hours before a confidence vote in Conservative leader Theresa May, making Griffiths eligible to participate.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/12/12/theresa-may-no-confidence-vote-result-conservative-leadership/|title=Theresa May no confidence vote result: Prime Minister survives but 117 Tory MPs go against her|first1=Gordon|last1=Rayner|first2=Jack|last2=Maidment|first3=Harry|last3=Yorke|first4=Chris|last4=Graham|first5=Helena|last5=Horton|date=12 December 2018|via=www.telegraph.co.uk|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=12 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181212170927/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/12/12/theresa-may-no-confidence-vote-result-conservative-leadership/|archive-date=12 December 2018|url-status=live}}
On 8 September 2019, Griffiths was cleared of breaching the House of Commons' code of conduct by the parliamentary standards watchdog as it could not find any evidence that he sent messages while carrying out parliamentary activities.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/08/tory-mp-andrew-griffiths-cleared-of-wrongdoing-for-sending-explicit-texts|title=Tory MP cleared of wrongdoing for sending explicit texts|work=The Guardian|date=8 September 2019|access-date=8 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190908182747/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/08/tory-mp-andrew-griffiths-cleared-of-wrongdoing-for-sending-explicit-texts|archive-date=8 September 2019|url-status=live}}
In December 2021 it was revealed that a Family Court judge had ruled that Griffiths had repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted his then wife.{{cite web |last1=Tickle |first1=Louise |title=Griffiths v Griffiths |url=https://www.tortoisemedia.com/2021/12/10/griffiths-v-griffiths/ |website=Tortoise |access-date=10 December 2021 |date=10 December 2021}}{{Cite web |last=Tickle |first=Louise |title=A finding of rape |url=https://www.tortoisemedia.com/audio/a-finding-of-rape/ |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=Tortoise}}
Personal life
Griffiths married Kate Kniveton in 2013,{{cite web|url=http://www.rotary-ribi.org/upimages/clubfiles/1294/Bulletins/October%20Bulletin%202013-151013v2.pdf|page=8|title=Burton Bulletin|publisher=Rotary International}} and the two had a daughter in April 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.staffordshire-live.co.uk/news/local-news/shes-little-miracle-andrew-griffiths-1455583|title='She's our little miracle' - Andrew Griffiths and wife Kate welcome their first baby into the world|publisher=Staffordshire Live|date=17 April 2018|access-date=13 September 2019|last=Pridding|first=Beth}} They separated in 2018 and subsequently divorced.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50398957|title=General election 2019: Kate Griffiths selected as Burton Tory candidate|work=BBC News|date=13 November 2019|access-date=13 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113130624/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50398957|archive-date=13 November 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=Ex-Tory minister Andrew Griffiths found to have raped wife |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-59611761 |access-date=10 December 2021 |work=BBC News |date=10 December 2021}}
In 2019 Griffiths applied to the Family Court wanting more contact with his daughter. Kate Griffiths objected, and gave evidence that her husband had subjected her to repeated physical and sexual abuse including rape. In November 2020 the judge accepted her evidence and ruled in her favour.
Family Court cases are usually confidential, but Kate Griffiths waived her right to anonymity and in December 2021 the Court of Appeal ruled that public interest was served by making an exception.{{cite web |last1=Tickle |first1=Louise |title=Griffiths v Griffiths |url=https://www.tortoisemedia.com/2021/12/10/griffiths-v-griffiths/ |website=Tortoise |access-date=10 December 2021 |date=10 December 2021}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.conservatives.com/People/Members_of_Parliament/Griffiths_Andrew.aspx Andrew Griffiths MP] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100518115445/http://www.conservatives.com/People/Members_of_Parliament/Griffiths_Andrew.aspx |date=18 May 2010 }} Conservative Party profile
- {{UK MP links | parliament = andrew-griffiths/3936 | guardian = 5871/andrew-griffiths | publicwhip = Andrew_Griffiths | theywork = andrew_griffiths | record = Andrew-Griffiths/Burton/839 | bbc = 42358.stm | journalisted = }}
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{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for Burton|years=2010–2019}}
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Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies