Andrew Robathan
A former soldier turned staunch Conservative minister who navigated from the SAS to the House of Lords via the parliamentary trenches.
Born 1951 (age 75)·British Conservative politician·Birthday: July 17·Baby Boomers
Biography
Andrew Robathan's path to politics was forged in the disciplined ranks of the British Army. After serving as an officer in the elite Special Air Service (SAS), he brought a soldier's directness and a firm Eurosceptic conviction to the Conservative benches. Elected to Parliament in 1992, he became a reliable figure on the right of the party, known for his crisp, no-nonsense style and loyalty to traditional Tory values. His ministerial career saw him handle veterans' affairs and Northern Ireland, portfolios where his military background provided a distinct perspective. Never one for the theatrical side of politics, Robathan was a workmanlike politician whose ultimate elevation to the House of Lords reflected a career built on service, first in uniform and then in the often equally combative arena of Westminster.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Andrew was born in 1951, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andrew Was Born
The biggest hits of 1951
#1 Movie
Quo Vadis
Best Picture
An American in Paris
#1 TV Show
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Andrew's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1951Born
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1956Started school
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1964Became a teenager
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Could drive
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1969Could vote
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Turned 21
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1981Turned 30
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 40
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 50
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 60
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 70
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 75 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the Minister of State for Northern Ireland from 2012 to 2014.
- Held the position of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans from 2010 to 2012.
- Elected as the Member of Parliament for Blaby (later South Leicestershire) for 23 years, from 1992 to 2015.
- Was appointed a Life Peer in 2015, entering the House of Lords as Baron Robathan.
Did You Know?
He was a commissioned officer in the Scots Guards and later served with the 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) regiment.
Robathan is a noted Eurosceptic and campaigned for Britain to leave the European Union.
He once worked as a management consultant for the firm Coopers & Lybrand before entering politics full-time.
“Service in the SAS taught me that clear orders and discipline get results.”
