I joined the Conservative Party not long after I moved to St Johns, Woking in 1973. I have enjoyed working as a volunteer in the Party ever since then, both locally and nationally.
I have been a Conservative member of the House of Lords since 1996 and currently I Chair the International Relations and Defence Select Committee.
During the years 2010-2017, I was Government Chief Whip 2010-14 and then Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for International Development and Department for Exiting the European Union. I was also the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for the Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative 2015-17. I was a member of David Cameron's Cabinet 2014 - 2016
My favourite leisure-time pursuit is golf, whether it’s at my ‘home’ club of Woking, or on holiday in the UK. I haven’t scored a hole-in-one yet, but I’m still trying!