Who's who in the coalition cabinet | Politics | The Guardian Who's who in the coalition cabinet Full list of Conservative and Liberal Democrat cabinet members, with mini-profiles of the key players The cabinet table at 10 Downing Street. Photograph: Martin Argles for the Guardian Staff Wednesday 12 May 2010 19.30 EDT First published on Wednesday 12 May 2010 19.30 EDT This article is 6 years old David Cameron – prime minister, first lord of Treasury, minister for civil service Nick Clegg – deputy prime minister, lord president of the council (with special responsibility for political and constitutional reform) Nick Clegg outside his home in south London Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images The Blairite adviser who couldn't understand why Clegg was wasting his career by becoming a Lib Dem MEP knows better now. The young European idealist who helped Leon Brittan, the British EU commissioner, to negotiate Chinese entry to the World Trade Organisation, also found his Spanish lawyer wife in Brussels.

Multilingual and well-connected, he won his Sheffield Hallam seat only in 2005 but leapfrogged older colleagues to succeed Menzies Campbell as party leader in 2007. Critics complain he is too far to the right of his own party, too pro-market and not sufficiently concerned for the poor. His deal with Cameron will reinforce those fears, but he has great self-confidence as his TV performances showed. In-tray Persuading Lib Dem activists at Sunday's Birmingham conference that they can trust him not to sell out; avoiding the blame for painful cuts and tax rises which Tories have persuaded him to back; promoting core Lib Dem values such as Europe, civil liberties and the environment in the face of core Tory scepticism; not letting Cameron squash him in the battle of the Alpha males. William Hague – secretary of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs William Hague. Photograph: Warren Allott/AFP/Getty Images The Foreign Office has long been preparing for Hague's arrival: his relations with officials are already good, his diary and policy programme ready. The new National Security Council has already met. He walked in the door today to a department hopeful that its new Tory boss will have the clout in government to restore the status of the department.

Under Labour, the FCO lost out: isolated from the invasion of Iraq, and overshadowed by the much richer Department for International Development, it felt neglected. Hague counts in Tory circles, and Cameron is likely to allow him more freedom – although Lib Dem ministers will watch for outbreaks of Euroscepticism. In-tray Afghanistan is a priority, and the subject of Hague's first security briefing yesterday morning. David Cameron hopes to withdraw British troops within five years. Iran was the subject of Hague's second briefing, focusing on the standoff with the west over its suspected development of a nuclear weapon. Plus the relationship with the EU. George Osborne – chancellor George Osborne, chancellor of the exchequer. Photograph: Andrew Winning/Reuters Osborne has a problem: the City and influential financial pundits at the FT do not respect him. "Ask Osborne an economic question and you get a political answer," one complained. That handicap is more than compensated for by the regard with which David Cameron holds him. They are the Blair and Brown of the new regime, without the destablising personal rivalry. Cameron resisted all pressure not to appoint Osborne as chancellor. He is 39 this month, which makes him the youngest chancellor since 1886.

He is a child of privilege, heir to a 17th-century baronetcy and to the Osborne & Little wallpaper fortune made by his father. In-tray Cutting the £163bn deficit and the debt mountain without hurting the economic recovery, the poor or British enterprise; sorting out bank regulation – both the rules and the structure; placating the City, which does not like his plan to abolish the Financial Services Authority. He is back-pedalling on the proposal; simplifying the tax system and cutting red tape; persuading voters to take him more seriously than Ken Clarke or Vince Cable. Kenneth Clarke – lord chancellor, secretary of state for justice Ken Clarke at the 2007 Conservative party conference. Photograph: Martin Argles A former chancellor of the exchequer, Clarke, 70, led Britain out of its last recession and had expected to play a leading role in rebuilding the economy. Recalled to the Tory frontbench last year as shadow business secretary. He will now rank as fifth most senior cabinet member. His appointment as justice secretary signals that the Human Rights Act is probably safe.

In-tray Introducing radical plans to cut rate of re-offending by ex-prisoners; greater role for private and voluntary groups; key cabinet role in drawing up bill that will scrap ID cards and the next generation of biometric passports; review of libel laws. Theresa May – home department; minister for women and equalities Theresa May. Photograph: David Fisher The second woman to hold the post of home secretary, after Jacqui Smith, faces the task of preserving her political reputation in one of Whitehall's "elephant trap" jobs. A former policy high-flier in the City, May is the first big winner of the coalition, having been promoted from shadow work and pensions spokeswoman. She was elected to the Commons in 1997 after lengthy experience in local politics on Merton council, south London, and was fast-tracked to the shadow cabinet. In 2002 Iain Duncan Smith made her the first woman Conservative party chair. As well as making an impact with her kitten-heeled shoes, she famously told party activists they were seen as "the nasty party".

In-tray Working out how the proposed cap on skilled migrants entering Britain from outside the EU will operate; scrapping ID cards and biometric passports, and other parts of the "great repeal bill/freedom bill", including curbs on the "surveillance state" and an end to collection of DNA profiles of innocent people; managing the way through a head-on clash on policing with chief constables over Conservative plans for directly elected police commissioners and Lib Dem plans for directly elected police authorities; reviewing the "preventing violent extremism" programme, plus a possible ban on Hizb-ut-Tahrir and consolidation of "reams" of security laws. Liam Fox – defence Liam Fox. Photograph: David Sillitoe Regarded in some official circles as a neocon for his perceived hardline views. Fox worked as a GP in Buckinghamshire before winning his seat of Woodspring (now North Somerset) in 1992, having earlier failed to win a seat in Scotland in 1987. He attained the shadow defence role in 2005.

In-tray Coherent strategy needed in Afghanistan – the top foreign and defence priority facing the coalition; moves to improve forces' welfare; setting up policy-driven strategic defence review against background of huge Ministry of Defence budget deficit; replacing Trident nuclear system; defence co-operation in Europe. Vincent Cable – business, innovation and skills Vince Cable said he was concerned at the influence exerted by Piedmont in the M&B bidding. Photograph: Martin Argles Cable's arrival is the culmination of a long march, from Whitehall in the 1970s as adviser to a future Labour leader, John Smith, into the arms of the Lib Dems during Labour's "looney left" phase, and now in charge of business, Smith's old department. "Head, not heart" was Cable's advice to Lib Dems wavering between Labour or Cameron – not quite the story of his life. A scholarship boy, the young Cambridge graduate married his first wife, now deceased, against their families' opposition. Sixty seven this week, he was at the Commonwealth secretariat and chief economist at Shell (1995-97), before winning a seat at Twickenham 27 years after he first tried to enter parliament for Labour.

The gangling Cable acquired recognition and respect as acting Lib Dem leader when the banking crisis broke. He also makes good jokes and loves dancing. In-tray How far to regulate banks; how to raise extra taxes without damaging wealth-creation; how much to reclaim powers taken from his department by the Treasury; how to rebalance economy toward manufacturing, away from high finance. Iain Duncan Smith – work and pensions Iain Duncan Smith Photograph: Robin Bell / Rex Features Duncan Smith's place at the cabinet table as secretary of state for work and pensions is the culmination of a long trek back to power. Dumped as Tory leader because he was unable to convince enough backbench Tories that he was the right man for the job, his rightwing instincts have found popular appeal in combination with his almost evangelical approach to poverty. The tax break for married couples will be a cornerstone of Duncan Smith's policy push. In-tray Implement substantial cuts in social security spending; tackle unemployment, focusing on making work or training compulsory after six month for jobless under-25s; disability benefits, which cost the taxpayer £16bn.

Joint policy agreement says: "Receipt of benefits for those able to work should be conditional on the willingness to work." Chris Huhne – energy and climate change Chris Huhne. Photograph: Rex After the City of London career and many posts as a financial journalist – including a time as the Guardian's economics leader writer – Huhne ran to be Lib Dem leader against Nick Clegg. After entering parliament in 2005, he went on to sway leftwards and it nearly secured him the job of party leader but most believe that was expediency and now he is in the centre. He was Lib Dem environment spokesman. In-tray Nuclear power is a major point of disagreement between the parties, with Lib Dems vehemently opposed; green investment bank – all main parties are agreed, but details are sketchy; coalition has adopted the 10:10 campaign's commitment to cut central government carbon emissions by 10% in 12 months; increase renewables target and "huge increase" in energy from waste through anaerobic digestion. Andrew Lansley – health Andrew Lansley.

Photograph: Richard Gardner Shadow health secretary for seven years, Lansley is credited with neutralising the potentially vote-losing issue of the NHS for the Tories in the election. In-tray NHS funding to increase in real terms every year; bureaucracy to be slashed and targets scrapped so doctors decide priorities; more use of private sector providers to ensure patients get prompt treatment; hospitals required to admit mistakes; decide what to do about social care – Conservative insurance premium or Lib Dems' independent commission. Michael Gove – education Shadow education secretary Michael Gove speaks at the 2009 Scottish Conservatives Conference in Perth, Scotland. Photograph: Murdo Macleod The 42-year-old former journalist was born in Edinburgh, adopted at four months old and brought up in Aberdeen. Went to state and private schools, then Oxford where he was union president. Married to Sarah Vine, a leader writer at the Times, and has two children. Gove wants a return to traditional values in the classroom, stating that he expects pupils to wear ties.

In-tray Start making cuts to, or scrap education quangos to save more than £600m a year; specify the core knowledge children should have at each age, benchmarked across the world; identify "very worst" schools and have them taken over by a head with a track record of success; parents, teachers and charities to set up their own schools free of local authority control; resolve a mass boycott of national tests for 10 and 11-year-olds by teachers. Eric Pickles – communities and local government Eric Pickles: 'We still have a mountain to climb.' Photograph: Nils Jorgensen/Rex Features No stranger to local politics, having led Bradford district council for three years up to 1991. As one tweet pointed out, his avowed mission then was to "wipe out municipal socialism forever". That was then and Pickles has long championed Conservative plans to reduce regional bureaucracy and backed plans to get local authorities to build more homes with cash incentives. This means upping the housing budget, which stands today at a little over £7bn, in a time of penury.

In the Con-Lib government agreement the parties are committed to a "radical devolution of power and greater financial autonomy to local government and community groups. This will include a full review of local government finance." Given previous governments' track records on implementing reviews of local government funding, substantial reforms are not expected. Pickles should expect to bat for local authorities, especially in any tussle with "community groups", which were key to David Cameron's Big Society. It looks likely that the project will be run from the Cabinet Office. Local authorities with an eye to the deteriorating public finances are already planning big cuts – and Pickles could see himself drawn into messy spats over a lack of cash in sensitive areas such as child protection and care homes for the elderly. Danny Alexander – Scotland Danny Alexander, the Scottish secretary. Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images Immersed in Lib Dem politics since working for the party as a Scottish press officer in 1993, soon after leaving Oxford University. An MP for five years, with several frontbench roles in work and pensions and social exclusion, he sprang to prominence as Clegg's chief of staff, taking charge of the party's general election manifesto in 2007.

In-tray Enhanced tax-raising and legal powers for the Scottish parliament; easing in deep cuts in Treasury funding for Scotland; tackling the Scottish National party's plans for a referendum on Scottish independence. David Laws – chief secretary to Treasury David Laws arriving to negotiate with the Tories on 10 May 2010. Photograph: Sang Tan/AP Seen as clear-thinking, controlled, totally at ease with numbers. In the City, he was vice-president of JP Morgan from 1987 to 1992 then managing director. He has been asked to bring the £168bn deficit under control over the next three years. Laws has argued that Brown's tax credit system, especially child tax credits, had created a dependency culture. He called for cuts in the cost of public-sector pensions, incapacity benefit, major reform of the property market, the EU subsidy system and housing benefit.

In-tray Needs to get cabinet agreement within 50 days on a budget with £6bn of cuts then set out a three-year spending programme for 2011-2014; Treasury options could include a VAT rise; committed to keep health spending rising year on year, and to tackle the deficit more by spending cuts than tax rises. Lady Warsi – minister without portfolio (and Conservative party chairman) Baroness Sayeeda Warsi at home. Photograph: David Sillitoe/Guardian Best known for appearing alongside the BNP leader, Nick Griffin, on the BBC's Question Time programme last year. As the first Muslim woman to be a cabinet member she has been useful to a Tory party trying to show that it is less white, Christian and male than before. She is also a single mother and was shadow communities secretary before her elevation to the highest ranks of government. In-tray As party chairman, keeping the Tories onside with the coalition; trying to maintain membership and fundraising, especially if the coalition falls apart before five years and an early election has to be held.

Also in the cabinet Caroline Spelman Environment, food and rural affairs Andrew Mitchell International development Jeremy Hunt Culture, Olympics, media and sport Lord Strathclyde Leader of the Lords, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Also attending cabinet meetings Francis Maude Minister for the Cabinet Office, paymaster general Oliver Letwin Minister of state, Cabinet Office David Willetts Minister of state (universities and science) Sir George Young Leader of the Commons, lord privy seal Patrick McLoughlin Parliamentary secretary to the Treasury and chief whip Also to attend cabinet when required Dominic Grieve Attorney general Nine from the Tories' 32-strong shadow team who have not made it to the cabinet Chris Grayling, Greg Clark, Nick Herbert, Theresa Villiers, Mark Francois, Grant Shapps, Baroness Neville-Jones, David Mundell, Baroness Anelay. Exclusive: Cabinet is worth £70million - Telegraph Politics Exclusive: Cabinet is worth £70million David Cameron is worth almost £4million according to a new analysis that estimates the combined wealth of the Cabinet at nearly £70million.

Image 1 of 2 Wealth-X describes David Cameron as a “Berkshire native born into a wealthy family with distance ancestral links to the British Monarchy” Photo: REX FEATURES By Christopher Hope , Senior Political Correspondent 10:00PM BST 27 May 2012 Graphic: The combined wealth of the Cabinet revealed Two thirds of the Cabinet — 18 out of 29 ministers — were millionaires, the new Cabinet “rich list” found. Wealth-X, a consultancy specialising in analysing the financial affairs of US politicians, based its figures on salaries as well as declared shares and properties. The consultancy’s analysts estimated Mr Cameron’s net worth at £3.8million, with liquid assets of £190,000 from current and previous salaries - half as much as President Barack Obama. His fortune was in part self-made and from “property, most likely funded from parents/inheritance”. Related Articles Revealed: the combined wealth of the Cabinet 28 May 2012 The analysis also forecast that the combined wealth of Mr and Mrs Cameron was likely to rise sharply in coming years because they would inherit an estimated £25.3 million.

The experts at Wealth-X valued Mr Cameron’s house in North Kensington at £2.7million, and his Oxfordshire home at £960,000. In a brief biography, the analysts described Mr Cameron as a “Berkshire native, born into a wealthy family with distant ancestral links to the British monarchy”. The richest Cabinet minister is Lord Strathclyde, who is worth £9.5 million, mainly from inherited wealth and a stake in his family’s estate management company. Baroness Warsi’s relatively modest £221,000 wealth was estimated to be 43 times less than Lord Strathclyde’s fortune. Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, is put at about £8.2million, from stakes in a health care and nursing home developer and “consultancy work”. Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, is thought to be worth £4.7million, from his stake in the educational publisher Hotcourses. Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, has a fortune worth £2million, while Labour leader Ed Miliband and his brother David are worth £1.9 million each.

According to Wealth-X, the richest person in the Commons is Zac Goldsmith, whose £284 million fortune is described as an “inheritance from financier father”. Gareth Thomas, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, said: “No wonder David Cameron and George Osborne are so out of touch with just how tough the rest of the country is finding the rising cost of living. "It also explains why the Cabinet thought the Budget’s tax-cut for millionaires was a good idea even as taxes went up for everyone else.” A Downing Street spokesman said it was “complete nonsense” to suggest the Camerons could be worth £25 million, including any future inherited wealth.A source added: “They own two houses — in Witney and in London — and that’s it.” Wealth-X published a wealth report in March which suggested that Mitt Romney, the Republican US presidential candidate, had $45million (£29million) in liquid assets, as part of his $230million fortune. In contrast President Barack Obama was estimated by Wealth-X to be worth $10.5million, and earns $400,000 a year as president.

The richest ever challenger for the Presidency was Ross Perot, who ran in 1992 and 1996, and had a fortune worth $3.58billion. Top 10 richest Cabinet ministers Name Worth (£million) Source of wealth Lord Strathclyde 9.6 Inherited Wealth, stake in family's estate management company, Auchendrane Estates. Also private directorships.

Philip Hammond 8.2 Stake in healthcare and nursing home developer Castlemead; consultancy work William Hague 4.8 Income from public speaking, two books, a newspaper column and various business advisory roles Jeremy Hunt 4.8 Stake in Hotcourses, a publisher of guides and websites for educational courses, which he co-founded Caroline Spelman 4.5 Wealth figures primarily reflect the value of properties owned by Spelman and husband, a Senior Partner at Accenture George Osborne 4.5 Property (inherited); stake in family-owned fabric and wallpaper designer Osborne & Little (inherited) David Cameron 3.8 Property, most likely funded from parents/inheritance Francis Maude 3.2 Work as managing director at morgan stanley and various directorships Dominic Grieve 2.9 Private investment, funded by salaries as barrister and QC Andrew Mitchell 2.2 Former investment banker, owns a number of homes, contributing to most of his wealth. Source: Research by Wealth-X Profile: Chancellor George Osborne - BBC News BBC News Close share panel Image caption George Osborne entered Parliament at the 2001 general election George Osborne must be used to big set-piece occasions after two and a half years holding the nation's purse strings.

But the statement he is preparing to make could turn out to be the most significant of his time as chancellor. The autumn statement, known as the pre-Budget report under Gordon Brown, traditionally has a much lower profile than the Budget, which takes place in the spring. But this time there is speculation that Mr Osborne will be forced to abandon the target he set in 2010 to have Britain's debt-to-GDP ratio falling by 2015, due to worse than expected economic growth. All eyes will be on the Office for Budgetary Responsibility forecasts for debt, deficit and growth, which are published at the same time as the autumn statement. Some commentators believe Mr Osborne will be spared the ordeal of having to scrap a key coalition objective because debt interest payments have been lower than expected the Treasury has received a windfall from the Bank of England, which last month handed over interest accrued on assets purchased as part of its Quantitative Easing programme. But it is likely to be close run thing. Mr Osborne became the youngest Chancellor of the Exchequer in 120 years when he took on the job, aged 38, following the 2010 general election.

The previous record holder, Randolph Churchill, father of Sir Winston, lasted just four months in the job and his first and only Budget was rejected by MPs. Since his appointment, Mr Osborne has been battling to get to grips with a record budget deficit and a stubbornly stagnant economy. The job has been made all the more difficult by his being in a coalition government where views on issues of taxation and spending can vary between the Conservative and Lib Dem members. However, whether or not you agree with what he's done, he seems secure in the role. There is little of the usual speculation about whether the chancellor is either facing the chop, or hoping to unseat his boss in No 10. Indeed, it seems he can count on the full support of the prime minister, for Mr Osborne's political fortunes are inextricably linked with those of David Cameron. Like Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, but apparently without the bitter personal feuding, Osborne and Cameron, are now the dominant political double act.

Like Blair and Brown, they entered Parliament in the same year, and were quickly handed key roles in the shadow cabinet, before making a grab for the top jobs - Mr Osborne was Mr Cameron's campaign manager during his triumphant 2005 bid for the party leadership. Bullingdon But unlike the Labour duo, Cameron and Osborne share a similar background and temperament. Both come from wealthy families - Mr Osborne is heir to a 17th Century baronetcy and to the Osborne & Little wallpaper fortune - and they both went to top public schools before going on to Oxford. George Osborne 1995-97: Political office, 10 Downing Street 2001: Elected MP for Tatton 2004: Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury 2005: Shadow Chancellor 2010: Chancellor They were even members of the highly exclusive Bullingdon dining club, famed for its hard drinking and bad behaviour, although not at the same time. Mr Cameron is four years older than his chancellor. Born in May 1971, George Gideon Oliver Osborne went to St Paul's, before studying modern history at Oxford.

He was initially known as Gideon, before switching to his less exotic first name as a teenager. After university he briefly tried to break into journalism, before joining the Conservative Research Department, the traditional training ground for Tory politicians, alongside Mr Cameron. He entered Parliament at the 2001 general election, retaking Tatton, in Cheshire, for the Conservatives after it was vacated by anti-corruption campaigner Martin Bell. Married to Frances, a novelist and daughter of former Conservative cabinet minister David, now Lord, Howell, he has two young children, Liberty and Luke. He is known at Westminster as a sharp political strategist and policy thinker, who has managed to get Mr Cameron out of a number of tight spots over the years. 'Got it wrong' In the autumn of 2007, his surprise policy announcement of a cut in inheritance tax was credited with frightening Gordon Brown out of calling a snap election that he might well have won. He pulled off another success during the 2010 election campaign, with an attack on a planned increase in National Insurance, dubbed Labour's "jobs tax".

Finally, when the party narrowly failed to win an overall majority at the 2010 general election, he played a key role in negotiating the historic coalition deal with the Liberal Democrats which put Cameron into 10 Downing Street. Mr Osborne knows that politics is not all plain sailing, having had to fight off suggestions in 2008 he had tried to solicit a donation for the Conservative Party from Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, aboard the aluminium magnate's yacht in Corfu. He has also faced many calls from Labour to switch to a "plan B" of measures to get the economy growing faster. But in many ways, Mr Osborne had remained relatively unscathed until this year's Budget. It made headlines for all the wrong reasons and the chancellor himself has admitted he "got it wrong" on some measures. Granny tax, pasty tax, the cap on tax relief for charitable donations - all have given ammunition to Labour's argument that the government, and Mr Osborne in particular, are "out of touch". The Budget was dubbed an "omnishambles" by Labour leader Ed Miliband in the Commons. Mr Osborne also came under increasing pressure from the opposition over the fact that he spent part of his week on Conservative Party strategy.

The "part-time chancellor" jibes may abate now that the party has brought in Australian Lynton Crosby to run its next general election campaign. But Mr Osborne is likely to remain the second most influential figure in the party, with a central role in all election campaigns, as long as David Cameron remains leader. BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Shadow Cabinet: Who's Who Shadow Cabinet: Who's Who Policy - Oliver Letwin Leader - David Cameron David Cameron was virtually unknown outside Westminster when he was elected Tory leader in December 2005 at the age of 39. The Old Etonian had dazzled that year's party conference with his youthful dynamism and charisma, reportedly telling journalists he was the "heir to Blair". He has sought to plant the Conservative flag firmly in the centre ground of British politics, but his assault on traditional Tory touchstones, such as grammar schools, has brought him into conflict with the party's grassroots. Before becoming leader, he was the Conservatives' campaign co-ordinator at the 2005 general election and shadow education secretary.

He was special adviser to Home Secretary Michael Howard and Chancellor Norman Lamont in the 1990s before spending seven years as a public relations executive with commercial broadcaster Carlton. Back to top Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer - George Osborne One of David Cameron's closest friends and political allies - the pair have been dubbed the "Blair and Brown" of the Conservative Party - George Osborne has enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks since becoming MP for Tatton in 2001. Michael Howard promoted him from shadow chief secretary to the Treasury to shadow chancellor in May 2005, at the age of 34. It is a post he has kept under Mr Cameron. Before entering Parliament, he was a special adviser in the agriculture department when the Tories were in government and later served as political secretary to William Hague. He is also heir to the Osborne and Little wallpaper fortune. Back to top Party chairman - Eric Pickles Eric Pickles was first elected to the Commons in 1992, representing an Essex seat far from his Yorkshire roots. He has extensive local government experience, having led Bradford District Council for three years up to 1991.

He has also served in a variety of shadow ministerial roles, including transport, local government and social security spokesman, earning a reputation for loyalty and good humour. He boosted his reputation and profile in the party by masterminding its landmark victory over Labour in the Crewe and Nantwich by-election and was appointed party chairman in David Cameron's January 2009 reshuffle. Back to top Shadow Secretary of State for Justice - Dominic Grieve A Conservative activist from an early age - and the son of a former Tory MP - Dominic Grieve was elected to the Commons in 1997 as the MP for Beaconsfield in South Buckinghamshire. He is a barrister and was the shadow attorney general for four and a half years until June 2008, when he was appointed shadow home secretary. He filled the vacancy created when David Davis quit as an MP to fight by-election on civil liberties and plans for a 42-day terror detention limit. Mr Grieve is an ex-member of the London Diocesan Synod with an interest in constitutional issues and an opposition to devolution - he is a past shadow Scottish affairs spokesman.

Regarded as a skilled and assiduous Commons performer, he was made shadow justice secretary in January 2009. Chief Whip - Patrick McLoughlin The former miner has been MP for West Derbyshire since 1986. When the Conservatives were in power, he was a minister at the departments of transport, employment, trade and industry, and in the whips' office. In opposition, he became deputy chief whip in 1998. Mr McLoughlin has an unusual background for a Tory MP. His mother was a factory worker and he worked as a farm labourer before following his father and grandfather into the pits. He spoke out against Arthur Scargill in the miners' strike, when he was a strike-breaker. Back to top Shadow Leader of the House of Commons - Sir George Young The North West Hampshire MP, 68, was appointed to the job after the demotion of Alan Duncan in September 2009. It marked a return to the shadow cabinet after a gap of nine years.

Sir George, an old Etonian known as the "bicycling baronet" after his election to the old Ealing Acton seat in 1974, had been chairman of the committee on standards and privileges since 2001. A widely respected figure in Parliament, who has twice stood unsuccessfully for the post of Speaker, he held the shadow Commons leader's job under William Hague's leadership. He served as a health, environment and housing minister before becoming Financial Secretary to the Treasury in 1994 under then prime minister John Major. He served as transport secretary from 1995-97. Back to top Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary - Jeremy Hunt MP for South West Surrey since 2005, Jeremy Hunt became the Conservatives' culture spokesman at the age of 40, in recognition of his work on disability issues. He was previously the party's spokesman on disabilities and welfare reform. He replaced Hugo Swire, who was sacked as culture spokesman shortly after suggesting free museum entry might be scrapped. Mr Hunt, a fluent Japanese speaker, founded a company called Hotcourses, offering guides to help students find the right course before entering Parliament.

Back to top Shadow Secretary of State for Defence - Liam Fox The former GP came third in the 2005 party leadership contest, presenting himself as a candidate of the right. A popular figure with the party's grassroots, he was co-chairman during the 2005 general election but was moved to the shadow foreign secretary portfolio in May. Under both William Hague and Iain Duncan Smith, he served as shadow health secretary. And when the Conservatives were in government in the 1990s, Dr Fox was a whip and later a Foreign Office minister. Back to top Shadow International Development Secretary - Andrew Mitchell Mr Mitchell ran David Davis' leadership campaign in 2005 and kept his shadow-cabinet job under the new regime. A former social security minister and whip, Mr Mitchell has also served as shadow minister for police. He first became an MP in 1987 and lost his Gelding seat a decade later, only to return as MP for Sutton Coldfield in 2001. Before going to university, Mr Mitchell served in the Royal Tank Regiment and later worked for investment bank Lazard, where he remains a director.

Back to top Shadow Energy and Climate Change - Greg Clark One of a new generation of more liberal-minded Conservative MPs, Mr Clark is close to David Cameron and, as the Tories' former director of policy, a key influence on his thinking on social issues. Within a year of being elected MP for Tunbridge Wells in 2005, he was made the Conservative spokesman on charities. He raised eyebrows in the party when he said the politics of left-wing columnist Polly Toynbee were more relevant to the modern Conservative Party than those of Winston Churchill. He was promoted to the newly created and more high profile role of shadow secretary for energy and climate change in response to Gordon Brown's creation of the department, headed by Ed Miliband. Back to top Shadow Education: Children, Schools and Families - Michael Gove Seen as one of the brightest talents in the 2005 intake, the former Times journalist is a key member of David Cameron's inner circle and helps write many of his speeches. As the Tories' housing spokesman, Mr Gove made a name for himself as an effective Commons performer in attacks on the government's home information packs.

He was drafted into the shadow cabinet, as children, schools and families spokesman, at the age of 39 when his leader split the education brief in two to reflect Gordon Brown's Whitehall changes. Mr Gove headed the Policy Exchange think tank for three years before landing the safe seat of Surrey Heath. Back to top Shadow Education: Innovation, Universities and Skills - David Willetts Known as one of the party's big thinkers, former shadow education secretary David "Two Brains" Willetts was shunted sideways in the July 2007 reshuffle after a bitter row over the party's policy on grammar schools. A former Treasury civil servant and graduate of the Number 10 policy unit at the height of Margaret Thatcher's time in office, he subsequently became director of research for the Centre for Policy Studies. After his eleciton to the Commons in 1992, he enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks before being criticised for his role as a whip during the Neil Hamilton cash-for-questions investigation. In opposition, he served as shadow education and employment secretary under William Hague before taking on the work and pensions job. He briefly dallied with a party leadership bid in 2005 before throwing his weight behind David Davis.

Back to top Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary - Nick Herbert Seen as one of the Conservatives' fastest-rising stars, Nick Herbert is a longstanding supporter of shadow home secretary David Davis, backing his leadership bids in 2001 and 2005. He became an MP in 2005, taking over as candidate in Arundel in South Downs after MP Howard Flight was sacked by Michael Howard for hinting the party's plans for spending cuts went further than it had admitted. The party's second openly gay frontbencher, after Alan Duncan, Mr Herbert was instrumental in setting up the Countryside Alliance and is a former head of right leaning think tank Reform, where he advocated radical policies on schools and hospitals. He was drafted into the shadow cabinet as Justice spokesman, after impressing David Cameron as Tory spokesman on police reform. He moved to the environment brief in January 2009 at the age of 45. Back to top Shadow Community Cohesion Minister - Sayeeda Warsi Sayeeda Warsi became the first Muslim woman to sit on the front bench of a British political party in July 2007 at the age of 36.

Straight-talking and combative - she describes herself as a "northern, working-class-roots mum" - she gave up her job as a solicitor in 2004 to stand for Parliament in her home town of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, losing out to Labour's Shahid Malik. She was also a special adviser on community relations to then Tory leader Michael Howard before becoming the party's vice-chairman. Ms Warsi - who is married with a daughter - says her admiration for Conservative principles is inspired by her father, who went from working in a mill to running a £2m-a-year bed-manufacturing firm. Back to top Shadow Cabinet Office Minister - Francis Maude The high priest of Tory modernisers, as party chairman Francis Maude was at the forefront of David Cameron's efforts to move the Conservatives to the centre ground - a role that won him few friends among party traditionalists. He was demoted to shadow Cabinet Office minister in July 2007, with responsibility for implementing policy. The son of Tory MP Angus Maude, he has enjoyed a rollercoaster career since his election to the Commons in 1983, serving in the Whips' office, the Foreign Office and the Treasury.

He lost his seat at the 1992 election but returned to the Commons five years later, serving as shadow chancellor and shadow foreign secretary. He managed Michael Portillo's 2001 leadership bid, returning to the backbenches to argue the case for reform when Mr Portillo withdrew from the race. Back to top Shadow Foreign Secretary - William Hague A witty and engaging Commons performer who is popular with grassroots Tory members, Mr Hague scaled back his lucrative career as an author and after-dinner speaker to return to the frontbench in 2005. He had been the youngest Tory leader since William Pitt when he took over the party in 1997 at the tender age of 36, but resigned after gaining just one seat at the 2001 general election. Mr Hague entered Parliament in 1989 having been special adviser to Chancellor Sir Geoffrey Howe. He was soon promoted to be a social security minister and in 1995 entered the Cabinet as Wales secretary. In addition to his duties as shadow foreign secretary, David Cameron has put Mr Hague in charge of rebuilding the party in the North of England, as chairman of its Northern Board.

Back to top Shadow Secretary of State for Health - Andrew Lansley The former civil servant became an active Conservative in the 1980s after a spell as private secretary to Norman Tebbit. In 1990 he became head of the Conservative Research Department and was one of the architects of the Tories' surprise 1992 election victory. However, he later faced criticism for his central role in the disastrous 2001 poll campaign. He returned to the shadow cabinet in 2003 under Michael Howard as shadow health secretary, the role he continues to hold under David Cameron. Back to top Shadow Home Secretary - Chris Grayling A former television producer and management consultant, Chris Grayling has gained a reputation as one of the Conservatives' most effective front-bench performers with his bruising attacks on Labour figures such as John Prescott. He has held a string of shadow ministerial positions since becoming MP for Epsom and Ewell in 2001, at the age of 38, including shadow leader of the house and shadow transport spokesman. He has written several books including a history of the Bridgwater Canal and life in England after the First World War.

He moved into the key role of shadow home secretary in January 2009 after being widely seen to have performed well in the work and pensions brief. Back to top Security - Dame Pauline Neville-Jones Dame Pauline was the first woman to chair the Joint Intelligence Committee, the body that scrutinises intelligence reports from MI5 and MI6. She was also John Major's foreign affairs adviser and the former Director of Political Affairs at the Foreign Office, as well as being a former governor of the BBC. She was a foreign office diplomat for more than 30 years, rising to be political director and deputy under-secretary, acting as senior UK negotiator at the Dayton peace talks which brought the Bosnian war to an end in 1995. Dame Pauline was born in 1939 and attended school in Leeds before taking an arts degree at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. She was brought into the shadow cabinet by Tory leader David Cameron as shadow security minister. She also acts as Mr Cameron's national security adviser.

Back to top Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Enterprise - Ken Clarke The 68-year-old returned to the Conservative front bench as shadow business secretary in David Cameron's January 2009 reshuffle amid continuing economic crisis. Mr Cameron said that Mr Clarke was a "big figure" with "great experience" and had been the last chancellor to lead the UK out of recession - during the John Major government of the 1990s. His return has been seen as somewhat of a gamble for Mr Cameron given that Mr Clarke - who held a host of ministerial jobs in the Thatcher and Major governments - has staunchly pro-European views. These views are widely seen to be the reason for his failure to win the three party leadership contests he entered - but Mr Cameron decided that Mr Clarke's experience was worth the risk of reopening party splits. Mr Clarke was president of the union at Cambridge, became a QC in 1980 and after a succession of junior ministerial jobs he served as health, education and home secretaries before becoming chancellor from 1993 to 1997.

Back to top Shadow Leader of the Lords - Lord Strathclyde Lord (Tom) Strathclyde has been in the shadow cabinet since 1997 after being promoted to Lords leader following a term as opposition chief whip. During that time, he has led the Tory charge in an upper house which has often given the Labour government more problems than the House of Commons. A former insurance broker, Lord Strathclyde has wide experience from the Tories' time in government. He was a minister of state at the Department of Trade and Industry during the 1990s and his various junior ministerial jobs covered tourism, Scotland, environment and consumer affairs. Back to top Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary - Caroline Spelman Caroline Spelman became the second woman, after Theresa May, to be Conservative Party chairman in 2007, at the age of 49. She entered Parliament in 1997 and was tipped for a shadow cabinet post when Michael Howard became Tory leader in 2003. But she was first appointed spokesman for the environment and shadow minister for women - both non-frontbench positions. She served as shadow secretary of state for international development and more recently as shadow secretary for local and devolved government.

Before entering Parliament, she worked in agriculture, including a spell as deputy director of the International Confederation of European Beetgrowers, in Paris. Back to top Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary - Owen Paterson Owen Paterson entered the shadow cabinet for the first time, at the age of 50, in David Cameron's July 2007 reshuffle. A former managing director of the British Leather company, he entered Parliament as MP for Shropshire North in 1997, concentrating on rural issues as a junior agriculture spokesman and chairman of the Conservative Rural Action Group. A Eurosceptic and member of the right wing Cornerstone Group, which campaigns for traditional Tory values, he helped Iain Duncan Smith during his 2001 leadership bid and was briefly parliamentary private secretary to Ann Widdecombe. He has also served in the Opposition whips office. Back to top Shadow Transport Secretary - Theresa Villiers A member of the 2005 Commons intake, Theresa Villiers became Transport Secretary in the July 2007 reshuffle, at the age of 39.

She is no novice in the world of politics having served as an MEP from 1999 to 2005, including a stint as the party's deputy leader in the European Parliament. A Eurosceptic, she is a former barrister and lecturer at King's College, London. The MP for Chipping Barnet was promoted to the shadow Cabinet after just seven months, becoming Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Back to top Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury - Philip Hammond Philip Hammond has build up a reputation as an articulate and effective Commons performer since being elected MP for Runnymede and Weybridge in 1997. A former director of companies supplying medical equipment, he was initially a member of the shadow health team before going on to serve as trade and industry spokesman. He also backed Michael Portillo's 2001 leadership bid. In summer 2002, he went to shadow the now defunct Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and local government department before being made shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, at the age of 51, in the July 2007 reshuffle.

Work and Pensions Secretary - Theresa May Theresa May was the first woman to become party chairman, under the leadership of Iain Duncan Smith. She then took up the culture and family portfolios before being made shadow Commons leader by David Cameron. She has been a keen advocate of positive action to recruit more women Tories to winnable seats and was a key architect of the "A list" of preferred candidates. A passionate moderniser with an exotic taste in shoes, she is famous for telling Tory activists they were seen as members of the "nasty party". After 18 months of weekly battles with Commons leader Harriet Harman Mrs May moved to work and pensions in the January 2009 reshuffle. Back to top Shadow Welsh Secretary - Cheryl Gillan MP for Chesham and Amersham since 1992, Cheryl Gilllan was a junior education minister in John Major's government. In opposition, her front-bench jobs have covered trade and industry, the Foreign Office and a period as a party whip. Born in Cardiff, she became a member of the shadow cabinet in 2005, at the age of 53, replacing Bill Wiggin as Welsh spokesman, which became a shadow cabinet post under David Cameron.

Her jobs before entering Parliament include marketing consultant and director of British Film Year. In her spare time, she keeps rare Buff Orpington and Black Rock hybrid hens. Back to top Shadow Scottish Secretary - David Mundell The only Tory MP in Scotland at the time, Mr Mundell quickly landed a shadow cabinet job after entering Parliament in May 2005. But his political experience goes back further. He was elected as a member of the Scottish Parliament for the south of Scotland in 1999, and re-elected in 2003. Back to top Policy review - Oliver Letwin A former shadow home secretary and shadow chancellor, Oliver Letwin is one of the most experienced and erudite members of David Cameron's top team, playing a key role in the formulation of the policies with which the Conservatives will fight the next general election. An Old Etonian and former merchant banker, he has been MP for West Dorset since 1997. In the 2001 election, he famously went into "hiding" after suggesting to a newspaper that the party wanted to cut public spending by £20bn.

After the 2005 general election, at the age of 50, he decided to take the environment, food and rural affairs brief before being handed the job of reviewing policy across the board and made chairman of the Conservative research department.

Question: Which cabinet member is heir to a wallpaper fortune?
Answer: George Osborne