Michael Howard

Michael Howard was elected MP for Folkestone and Hythe in 1983. In 1985 he entered the Government as parliamentary under secretary of state at the Department of Trade and Industry with responsibility for corporate and consumer affairs.

In 1987, he moved to the Department of the Environment, first as minister of state for local government and then as minister of state for water and planning. In 1990, he entered the Cabinet as secretary of state for employment, abolishing the closed shop and playing a crucial role in negotiating the UK's opt-out from the social chapter at Maastricht.

Following the 1992 election, Howard was appointed environment secretary where he played a major role in securing the participation of the United States at the Earth Summit in Rio.

In May 1993, he became Home Secretary, a position he held for four years.

From 1997 to 1999, Howard served as shadow foreign secretary. In September 2001, he was appointed shadow chancellor of the exchequer. In November 2003, he was elected leader of the Conservative Party.

David Davis

Shadow home secretary David Davis has been MP for Boothferry from 1987 until 1997. Since 1997, he has served as MP for Haltemprice & Howden.

In November 1990, he was appointed assistant government whip. Before that he was parliamentary private secretary and was a past member of the National Union Executive Committee and NUEC General Purposes Committee. He was the national chairman of the federation of conservative students.

He was parliamentary secretary at the office of public service and science from May 1993 until July 1994 when he was appointed Foreign Office minister until April of 1997. From 1997 to 2001, he served as chairman of the house of commons public accounts committee. In September 2001, he was appointed chairman of the Conservative Party, and in July 2002 he was appointed shadow secretary of state for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

In November 2003, he became shadow home secretary.

Oliver Letwin

Oliver Letwin was elected MP for West Dorset in 1997. He has worked for NM Rothschild & Sons Ltd (Director, 1991-2003). He was a member of the Prime Minister's policy unit from 1983-1986, after being special adviser to the education secretary (1982-1983) and Fellow of Darwin College, Cambridge (1981-1983).

He was appointed Frontbench spokesman for constitutional affairs in June 1998. In September 2000, he became shadow chief secretary to the Treasury. In September 2001, he was appointed shadow secretary of state for home affairs while in November 2003, he became shadow secretary of state for economic affairs and shadow chancellor of the Exchequer.