Howard, Michael (orig. Michael Hecht)

1941 – He was born on 7 July 1941 in Gorstein, South Wales. He was educated at Llanelli Grammar School.

1962 – He joined the Young Conservatives. He continued his studies at Peterhouse College, Cambridge. At the university he was President of the Union.

1964 – He was called to the bar this year.

1970 – He was chairman of the Bow Group from this year until 1971.

1975 – He married Sandra Clare Paul, a model in the sixties. Michael Howard wooed Sandra with a copy of Scott Fitzgerald's Tender is the Night.

1980 – He held ministerial jobs at the DTI and DOE.

1982 – He became a QC this year and a Recorder in 1986.

1990- He was Secretary of State for Employment for two years.

1993 – He had his famous period as a right-wing Home Secretary until 1997.

1997 – He held the post of shadow Foreign Secretary until 1999.

2001 - He returned to the front bench, under the leadership of Iain Duncan Smith, as Shadow Chancellor.

2003 – He was elected unopposed the leader of the Conservative Party.

2006 - In March of this year, Michael Howard announced that he would be standing down as an MP at the next election.