Due to the controversy over the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, Ms Kirkbride is trying to force the government to introduce a single vaccine for measles by introducing a private member's bill. She has a personal interest in this issue as she had a baby last October.

Julie Kirkbride, who has been tipped for the top, was elected MP to the safe Bromsgrove seat in the 1997 general election.

She did well to get selected as a candidate on the first attempt, against heavy male competition. Although there were over 100 new women Labour MPs in 1997, Kirkbride was one of only five new women Tory MPs.

Julie Kirkbride was educated at Cambridge University and Berkley, USA.

She worked as a journalist for Yorkshire Television and the BBC in the 1980s and ITV until 1992.

She joined the Daily Telegraph as a lobby correspondent for four years going on to become social affairs editor for the Sunday Telegraph before standing for parliament.

She married Andrew Mackay MP (shadow Northern Ireland spokesman) within a year of entering the Commons.