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Fox contacts: who is on Liam's list?

By Anna Doble

Updated on 22 April 2010

From Joe Lieberman to Andy McNab via Natalie Imbruglia, Who Knows Who takes a look at the potential names in Liam Fox's contacts book.

Shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox. (Credit: Reuters)

The shadow defence secretary's car was stolen from his home in south east London on 22 April, containing his laptop, mobile phone and documents.

Liam Fox insisted no sensitive data was stolen even though the theft took place just hours ahead of a planned defence manifesto launch and the second general election leaders' debate.

Who Knows Who takes a look at the allies who could be on Liam's friends and family list.

After becoming an MP in 1992, Fox quickly rose through Tory ranks. He became parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to Michael Howard, whom he worked for again as leadership campaign manager in 2003.

Between 1999 and 2003 the former GP was shadow health secretary under William Hague and then Iain Duncan Smith, so it's likely they still feature in his contacts file.

Fox stood for the leadership himself in 2005, coming third behind David Cameron and David Davis.

His most public backer for the contest was shadow home secretary Chris Grayling. Fox had an impressive coterie of high-profile supporters including Desmond Swayne who is now PPS to David Cameron.

His team also boasted shadow minister for justice Eleanor Laing, shadow health minister Stephen O'Brien, communities and local government shadow Justine Greening, Greg Hands and Daniel Kawczynski - who, at 6 foot 8 inches, is probaby the tallest man on Liam's speed dial list.

A source who used to work in Fox's office has told Who Knows Who that his office was so small that during meetings Chris Grayling sometimes had to sit on the floor.

Gary Streeter is another ally - he was invited to run the Conservative Human Rights Commission when Fox was shadow foreign secretary in 2005.

A Eurosceptic who is thought of as the "leading neocon in the Tory party", Fox might be better connected with America's Republican Party than David Cameron.

He is a passionate believer in the "special relationship" between Britain and the US. He is UK director and founding member of The Atlantic Bridge, the honorary patron of which is Margaret Thatcher.

Joe Lieberman (the one time presidential running mate of Al Gore who later endorsed Republican John McCain) sits on the group's advisory council.

Fox may also keep regular contact with Australian political strategist Lynton Crosby, who he enlisted to help "sharpen the Tory party's campaigning style" back in 2005.

Former SAS soldier and author of Bravo Two Zero Andy McNab also has strong links with Fox.

The pair spoke together at the Tories' Combat Stress Summit last July and McNab has publicly backed the Conservatives' at the election.

But General Sir Richard Dannatt's number may have been deleted after Fox appeared to dismiss the army chief's cabinet ambitions. In an interview last autumn Fox said "advisers advise, politicians decide" and insisted no ministerial position had been offered to him.

Neighbours star and singer Natalie Imbruglia probably left her number on a napkin after dating Fox briefly in the mid-2000s. Fox got a mention in the sleeve notes of her debut album.

But the Spice Girls can rest easy. Their numbers are unlikely to feature; Fox was forced to make a public apology to the group in 2000 after labelling them "three dogs and a blackbird".

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