Minster’s laptop stolen from Whitehall’s Red Lion pub

A minister’s work laptop and house keys were stolen as he enjoyed a drink in a pub close to Parliament, a court heard.

Stuart Andrew had a bag at his feet when it was swiped on February 22 this year at the Red Lion, which is popular with MPs, peers, political aides and journalists. The bag contained “one government laptop, one personal laptop, and house keys”.

Mr Andrew, 50, who was elected as Conservative MP for Pudsey, West Yorkshire, in 2010, was a housing minister in Boris Johnson’s government at the time of the theft. It is understood he immediately reported the loss of the laptop to his department and it was accessed and wiped remotely.

After a brief stint as a justice minister, Mr Andrew, was appointed earlier this month by Liz Truss as a sports minister. Roberta Richardson, 48, from Catford, is accused of theft but denies she was the person seen on CCTV taking the MP’s bag.

At a hearing at Southwark crown court on Thursday, Judge David Tomlinson ordered her to return to formally enter a plea on December 8. She did not have legal representation due to the barristers’ strike, but was told her trial could not take place until January 2024.

Richardson denied the single charge of theft when she first appeared in court earlier this month. She was freed on unconditional bail until the start of her trial.

The Red Lion in Parliament Street is situated between Downing Street and Parliament and is a popular venue for informal political discussions and socialising.

Prime Ministers including Sir Winston Churchill and Clement Atlee frequented it and a young Charles Dickens was a customer.

Mr Andrew has been contacted for comment.