Chris Grayling was tipped in 1997 as a future Tory high-flier, but he stalled when he was unable to win the marginal seat of Warrington South.

At that election he was one of the candidates who defied John Major to denounce the European single currency. He also warmly welcomed proposals for young offender "boot camps".

After the disappointment of 1997, he consoled himself by finding office as a Merton councillor. He then landed the nomination for the safe Tory constituency of Epsom and Ewell and entered Parliament in 2001.

The former BBC journalist has served as a whip, education and then health spokesman. He became shadow leader of the House of Commons in 2005 and was moved to his current post by David Cameron.