23 quick-fire questions with Welwyn Hatfield MP Andrew Lewin

1. Which four celebrities would you invite to a dinner party?

"I would have Barack Obama. I would also have Jess Phillips, who is now a colleague of mine and someone I find inspiring, and Clement Attlee, who is my favourite Labour Prime Minister. As it’s been the Olympics recently, I’ll go for a sporting inspiration in Dame Kelly Holmes."

2. Who was your hero growing up?

"That’s a great question. It’s rather poignant as he passed away recently, but my first sporting hero was Graham Thorpe. I’m a huge cricket fan, and he was a very stylish batsman in an era when English cricket wasn’t in a good place. He was a real shining light for me."

Graham Thorpe. (Image: PA Images/PA Wire)

3. Do you have a favourite sport and team?

"Cricket. Obviously I support Hertfordshire, but it’s a minor county in cricket, so Essex is my team."

4. Which Olympic sport would you most like to compete in?

"The 100 metres because it would be over quickly. I think my time would be about 15 seconds."

5. What is your favourite cuisine?

"Italian. I don’t think you can beat a good Italian dish."

6. What is your favourite drink?

"A Birra Moretti, which I think would accompany an Italian meal well."

7. What is your favourite restaurant?

"It’s not a restaurant, so it’s kind of cheating, but I’m constantly in and out of Simmons. I love it. They're across Hertfordshire and I live particularly close to one, so that’s where you’re most likely to find me."

8. What hobbies do you have?

"I haven’t had much time for hobbies lately, but I still play cricket occasionally and I’m a regular in the audience at Welwyn Thalians, where my wife performs."

9. What was your favourite subject at school?

"History."

10. Who is your favourite musical artist?

"Oasis, and my favourite song is Champagne Supernova."

Oasis at Knebworth.

11. Where is your favourite holiday destination?

"I went to Sri Lanka with my wife. We did lots of sightseeing, but we spent the last few days on this beautiful beach that looked like it had been that way for thousands of years. It was incredibly relaxing. We’ve done countless city breaks, but that moment on the beach stands out."

12. What is the most amazing thing you’ve seen on your travels?

"In that same holiday, we did a day of safari and saw an elephant in the wild. That was incredible."

13. What is one country you’d like to visit?

"Australia. Hopefully in a year where England win The Ashes."

14. What is your favourite film or TV series?

"The original Matrix."

15. Do you have any film or TV recommendations?

"It’s a few years old now, but I really enjoyed The Good Place."

16. Which actor would play you in a movie about your life?

"My wife is going to laugh reading this. Zac Efron? Peter Capaldi? Maybe somewhere between the two of them."

Andrew thinks Zac Efron and Peter Capaldi would play him in a movie. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

17. Cats or dogs?

"Cats."

18. Sweet or Savoury?

"Sweet."

19. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

"I think maybe 'don’t let perfection be the enemy of good'. I think in whatever part of life, you should do your best, but be happy to move things forward even if you don’t achieve what you believe to be perfection. I think that came from a teacher at secondary school."

20. Is there one vice you wish you could give up?

"Original Coca-Cola. That was particularly clear to me during my campaign."

21. Other than being an MP, what was your dream job growing up?

"A professional cricketer."

22. If you had to put one thing in Room 101, what would it be?

"I might put Twitter, now X, in Room 101."

23. What advice would you give to your younger self?

"Don’t be too hard on yourself, and family always comes first."