Described as "insatiably ambitious" by parliamentary writer Andrew Roth, Bernard Jenkin was promoted by William Hague in 1999, assuming the transport portfolio for the Conservatives. He has given particular attention to road casualty statistics, rail safety, air traffic control and rural bus services.
His professional background is in sales and marketing, having worked with Ford and 3i plc. Having worked as political adviser to Sir Leon Brittan in the mid 1980s and as private parliamentary secretary to Michael Forsyth in the mid 1990s, he was promoted to the opposition front bench as spokesman for constitutional affairs following the 1997 general election.
The son of Lord Jenkin of Roding, who was environment secretary under Margaret Thatcher, Bernard Jenkin once famously stated: "I used to be wet but I'm all right now." He opposes relaxation of European immigration controls and is a Eurosceptic.
