Chris Patten is often tipped as a future Conservative leader despite losing his Bath seat six years ago. As party chairman before his defeat, he was credited with the Tory's 1992 victory, their fourth successive term. He spent five years as the last Governor of Hong Kong and has published a book on his experiences, East and West. This year Tony Blair gave him a job as chairman of the independent commission on the reform of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. He has experience of Northern Ireland from his time as junior minister at the Northern Ireland office from 1983 to 1985. He worked for the Conservatives after gaining a history degree from Oxford University and wrote speeches for Margaret Thatcher. More recently he has attacked William Hague's anti-European stance. A family man, Chris Patten has a wife, Lavender, and three daughters. They have a home in Barnes and a farmhouse in France.