Francis Maude was appointed shadow chancellor in William Hague's first reshuffle, to shadow Gordon Brown, after a year in opposition. Replaced Peter Lilley who was promoted to a policy job.

He is a dry, radical right Thatcherite. One of the "No Turning Back" group and was promoted to the Treasury by Mrs Thatcher just before she was overthrown.

The son of Angus Maude, a journalist and politician.

Initially a practising criminal barrister and Westminster councillor, later a banker and adviser on privatisation and deregulation after he lost his marginal Warwickshire North seat in 1992.

Formerly minister at the Foreign Office and the Department of Trade and Industry, where he was forced under pressure to ban flammable foam in furniture.

On his return to the Commons for the safe Tory seat of Horsham in 1997 (and after supporting Michael Howard for leader) he was brought into the shadow cabinet by William Hague to shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Chris Smith and attacked him over national lottery problems.