Peter Lilley was promoted to deputy leader by William Hague in his first reshuffle of the shadow cabinet in June 1998.

The post had been in abeyance since Willie Whitelaw in the 1970s.

Put in charge of policy revision. Had been for a year Shadow Chancellor, with considerable experience of the Treasury. First as Nigel Lawson's PPS, then as Economic and Financial Secretary under Mrs Thatcher.

A rather dry monetarist and Eurosceptic, a leading light in the 1985 rightwing "No Turning Back" group.

Was Mrs Thatcher's surprise replacement for Nicholas Ridley as Trade and Industry Secretary, and he would joke about the fact that no-one recognised him.

After that, for a whole Parliament, he was Social Security Secretary, during which he tried to rein back the large increase in expenditure during the recession, and to combat fraud.

Made successful conference speeches which attacked scroungers, foreigners, Marxists and so on.

Mr Lilley was one of six contenders for the Tory leadership in 1997 but came a poor fourth with 24 votes in the first round, and then backed William Hague.

Previously an economist and oil industry expert, and chairman of the Bow Group.