George and his wife Aurelia live in their North West Hampshire constituency at Penton Mewsey, just outside Andover. They enjoy cycling round the lanes near their home on their tandem, and play an active part in their local community.
Born to the son of a diplomat, George was educated at Eton and at Christ Church Oxford, where he won an Open Exhibition. He worked in the City for a brief spell before joining the National Economic Development Office from 1966 to 1967. He was then Kobler Research Fellow at the University of Surrey, where he got an M.Phil, and from 1969 until 1974 he was Economic Adviser to the Post Office Corporation. In 1973, he published "Tourism: Blessing or Blight?"
POSITIONS HELD:
- MP for Ealing Acton 1974 - 1997
- MP for North West Hampshire, 1997 -
- Opposition Whip, 1976 - 1979
- Junior Health Minister, 1979 - 1981
- Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of the Environment 1981 - 1986
- Comptroller of the Household (Govt Whip), 1990
- Minister of State, Housing and Planning, 1990 - 1994
- Financial Secretary to the Treasury, 1994 - 1995
- Secretary of State for Transport, 1995 - 1997
- Shadow Defence Secretary, 1997 - 1998
- Shadow Leader of the House, 1998 - 2000
- Chairman Standards and Privileges Committee, 2001 - 2009
- Shadow Leader of the House, 2009 - May 2010
- Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal, May 2010 -
PROUDEST POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENT:
Changing the law to prevent constituents in Newtown being held to ransom by a medieval law allowing the recent purchaser of Newtown Common to demand a ransom so they could continue to access their homes.
INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF POLITICS:
Cycling, music.
FAMILY LIFE:
George has been married to Aurelia since 1964, and have four children and seven grandchildren.