The Rt Hon David Gauke

Born in 1971 and educated at Northgate High School in Ipswich, David read law at St Edmund Hall. After a year working as a parliamentary researcher, he attended Chester College of Law before becoming a trainee solicitor. He qualified as a solicitor in 1997 and worked for a leading City firm until his election as MP for South West Hertfordshire on 5 May 2005.

In February 2006, David was appointed to the Treasury Select Committee which he then left in June 2007 when appointed to the Shadow Treasury team. In 2010, David was appointed as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, at the time the youngest Conservative minister in the Government. In July 2014 he was promoted to Financial Secretary to the Treasury. In Parliament, he led for the Government on five Finance Bills and the National Insurance Contributions Bill. In July 2016, he was promoted to Chief Secretary to the Treasury and made a member of the Privy Council, and in June 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May appointed David as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. In January 2018, he was appointed Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice and served in that role until July 2019.

David is a Patron of the Hospice of St Francis, the Watford Peace Hospice, the Three Rivers Museum and Berkhamsted Film Society.

David’s interests outside his political activities and family include cricket, football (he is a lifelong Ipswich Town supporter), reading and country walks.