Education: Eton College; Magdalen College, Oxford; St Cross College, Oxford
Personal: Married with three sons
Non-political career: Volunteer teacher in Cameroon and Uganda, management consultant, research analyst.
Political career: Mr Rendel was elected to Parliament in the 1993 Newbury by-election, taking the seat from the Conservatives.
He had previously been a councillor on Newbury District Council between 1987 and 1995.
He has been the party's spokesman on social security and welfare since 1997.
His previous positions in the Lib Dem frontbench team have included local government and housing.
He is a member of all party committees on housing and homelessness, mobile homes and the racing and bloodstock group.
He has been very loyal to Paddy Ashdown but he has questioned the party's co-operation with Labour.
Locally, he advocated the controversial Newbury by-pass, much to the ire of environmentalists.
How others see him: Mr Rendel is seen as something of a dark horse although one party source said the smart money would be backing him.
He himself admitted he was educated in a "very strange and unusual way" at Eton. He sent his own children to comprehensives.
He has shown he is dogged and has plenty of determination, and has the backing of senior figures in the Association of Liberal Councillors.
Interests: Mr Rendel was a member of the Oxford boat race crew of 1974. He joined his constituents in pulling down the fence around the Greenham Common air base in 1997. He lists his hobbies as sport, music and travel.
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