Chris Grayling

Biography

Chris Grayling was re-elected MP for Epsom and Ewell in May 2010 with a majority of 16,134 votes.

Born in 1962, Chris grew up in Buckinghamshire, though his family moved to the North West when he was 19. He was educated at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe before going to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, to read history. After university, he joined the BBC's News Training Scheme, and worked as a producer on BBC News and Channel Four's programme Business Daily.

After a few years in television production, he decided to move to the business side of the media industry, and worked for a number of small and medium-sized production businesses before moving to the Employee Change Communication practice at international communications firm Burson Marsteller. He ended his time there as European Marketing Director.

Chris lives in Ashtead, Surrey, in his constituency of Epsom and Ewell. He has written several books, including a history of the Bridgwater Canal, Anglo-American relations, and life in England after the First World War.

Before entering Parliament in 2001, he was a councillor on the London Borough of Merton.

POSITIONS HELD:

. MP for Epsom and Ewell, 2001 - . Opposition Whip, 2002 . Shadow Health Minister, 2002 - 2003 . Shadow Higher and Further Education Minister, 2003 - 2005 . Shadow Leader of the House, 2005 . Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, 2005 - 2007 . Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, 2007

Chris Grayling was the shadow home secretary before the 2010 general election. After the formation of the coalition he became a minister of state in the Department for Work and Pensions

INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF POLITICS: Watching and supporting Manchester United, Epsom and Ewell FC and Ashtead Colts, while trying to emulate their skills in occasional bursts of 5-a-side football.

FAMILY LIFE: Chris has been married to Sue since 1987, and they have one daughter and one son.

Constituency

Epsom and Ewell

Twitter

Constituency Address

212 Barnett Wood Lane, Ashtead, Surrey, KT21 2DB

Constituency Tel

01372 271036

Date of Birth

1 April 1962

Email

graylingc@parliament.uk

Party

Conservative

Personal Website

www.chrisgrayling.net

Westminster Address

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Westminster Tel

020 7219 8194

Chris Grayling latest news

Lock 'em up and throw away the remote? Grayling toughens up life behind bars

Life behind bars won't be quite so cushy after Grayling's incentives scheme tweaks

Life in prison is to become slightly more uncomfortable for male inmates, in a move dismissed by reformers but welcomed on the doorstep two days away from this year's local elections.

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Grayling: Smacking 'sends a message'

Smacking sends the WRONG messages, NSPCC argues

Justice secretary Chris Grayling has admitted smacking his children as part of his disciplinarian 'regime' at home.

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Out of prison, into the arms of… the private sector

Public safety will be damaged by the proposals, Labour is warning

Around 200,000 criminals released from prison every year are to be supervised by the private sector, in a move opponents are calling the demise of public probation in England and Wales.

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Tougher knife crime laws 'won't work'

A knife amnesty reveals the extent of the problem

A guaranteed jail sentence for all those convicted of using a knife to threaten or endanger others is meeting a frosty reaction from campaigners.

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Prisoner voting: Grayling eggs on parliament to defy Europe

Locked up, but do they deserve to be a part of the democratic process?

Parliament will ultimately decide whether or not prisoners are allowed to vote or not, justice secretary Chris Grayling has reassured MPs.

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Ken Clarke's plan is working: Prison numbers set to fall

Ken Clarke's liberal prison reforms are working, according to a study by the Office for National Statistics.

Prison numbers stabilised over the past year as a result of Ken Clarke's liberal reforms, according to official projections.

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Cameron's conference speech: Cabinet reactions

David Cameron delivering his third leader's speech as prime minister

Members of David Cameron's Cabinet give their verdict on this year's leader's speech.

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Chris Grayling speech in full

Chris Grayling speech in full

Read Chris Grayling's speech promising new protections for homeowners taking on intruders

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The enduring idiocy of Chris Grayling

Grayling: Darling of the Tory right

The justice secretary peddles disinformation to boost his ministerial career

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Scrapping Ken Clarke's liberal justice policy costs govt millions

Ken Clarke: Dumped from Ministry of Justice

The Department of Justice will be unable to achieve cuts of £130 million after it scrapped Ken Clarke's liberal justice policies, according to a report.

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