Biography

I was born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire on Christmas Day 1965, the youngest of three sons.

My father, John George, was a solicitor, and he died when I was four. My mother, Nina Joan (nee Stanbrook) was a teacher and she died when I was fifteen. I then lived with my brothers, Henry and Charles, then with my mother's parents. I am very close to my maternal grandmother, "Nanna".

I now live with my girlfriend, Hannah, in Surbiton.

Education Background

I went to Nottingham High School (1974-84), as have MPs from both other parties, including Kenneth Clarke and Geoff Hoon, and the Chancellor’s economics adviser, Ed Balls. I was head boy at the school when the Duke of Edinburgh visited.

After school, I took a 'year off' when I worked in a pork pie factory and for Boots plc, hitch hiked round Spain and worked as a holiday courier in France.

I took a first class honours degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Jesus College, Oxford (1985-1988). Although I was not involved in any of the political societies at Oxford, I was active in a campaigning environmental group and was elected President of the College’s Junior Common Room.

Post-University Career

After university, I became the Economics Researcher to the Liberal Democrats in Parliament, working in the Commons from 1989 to 1993, primarily for Alan Beith and Paddy Ashdown.

After becoming the party's Senior Economics Advisor, I was closely involved in developing policies such as the penny on income tax for education and making the Bank of England independent. I was also in charge of costing the election manifesto in 1992. During this time, I studied in the evenings at Birkbeck College, London University, gaining an MSc in Economics.

In 1993, I left Parliament to work for a management consultancy firm called Omega Partners where I specialised in postal services. With Omega Partners, I visited 28 countries and worked on projects for Post Offices in countries such as Belgium, South Africa, Sweden and Taiwan. My work ranged from strategic market analysis to business forecasting.

During my time at Omega, I remained an active Liberal Democrat, serving on the Federal Policy Committee and various other policy groups.

Political Career

In March 1995 I was selected to fight Kingston and Surbiton. The Liberal Democrats' success in local Council elections plus boundary changes meant that we were strongly placed to challenge the incumbent Conservative in the General Election.

The seat was won after three recounts in an Election which saw the Conservative MP in the area defeated for the first time in history.

Parliament

Once elected, I was appointed as the Economics Affairs Spokesman by Paddy Ashdown, working closely with Malcolm Bruce in the Treasury team.

I was promoted by Charles Kennedy to be the Deputy in the Treasury under Matthew Taylor, and with responsibility for public spending and taxation policy.

In early 2000, I took over from Simon Hughes as the Liberal Democrat Spokesman on London, closely working with Susan Kramer’s campaign..

I have served on the Treasury Select Committee since December 1999, after a stint on the Procedure Select Committee.

I sat on several Standing Committees, including every Finance Bill this Parliament, the Bank of England and the Government Resources and Accounts Bills, as well as the Government for London Bill.

I am a regular contributor to debates on the economy in the House.

Constituency

In Kingston and Surbiton, I have gained a reputation as a hardworking constituency MP, holding eight times the advice sessions my Conservative predecessors managed. Having an MP who lives in the constituency and takes up local issues is a major change for the people of Kingston and Surbiton, who had on the whole been largely taken for granted by successive Conservative MPs.

In Kingston and Surbiton, I have waged a series of high profile campaigns, on issues ranging from investment in the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit, to the need for more police in Kingston division. I have championed the environmental cause, in a campaign to stop development on the banks of the River Thames in Surbiton.

I have been instrumental in a range of local victories, ranging from reducing the speed limit on the A3 Kingston by-pass to 50 mph to saving an old people’s day centre, Alfriston in Surbiton.

I have published four annual reports, delivered to every household, and am the first Kingston MP in living memory to have a regular column in the local newspaper.

Random Facts

I support Notts County FC (having preferred the Magpies’ strip to Nottingham Forest’s aged 4), but have naturally also adopted Kingstonian FC, victors in two recent FA Umbro Trophy Cup. Finals

If the Milk Marketing Board had awarded me a scholarship to study Agricultural Economics before I took my Oxford Finals, I would have probably ended up working in developing countries.

I received awards from the Royal Humane Society and the Chief Constable of the British Transport Police in 1994, after rescuing a woman from the path of an oncoming train at Clapham Junction.