Ken Clarke Biography

When Margaret Thatcher led the party to victory in 1979, she appointed Clarke to the post of junior minister. Over the next 10 years, he served as a junior minister in several departments.

It was not until 1988 that Clarke was promoted to the cabinet. As health secretary, he was given the job of driving through controversial and far-reaching reforms of the NHS, including the internal market.

After the events of Black Wednesday, the resignation of Norman Lamont and the decision to leave the European Exchange Rate Mechansim (ERM), Clarke was made chancellor, a post on which much of his reputation and standing rests.

His period in charge of the Treasury saw interest rates, inflation and unemployment fall. Much of the credit was given to Mr Clarke and Bank of England governor, Eddie George.

Unfortunately for Clarke, John Major's Conservatives, torn by splits over whether the UK should join the European single currency, suffered a huge electoral defeat in 1997.

Once the defeated Tory leader resigned, Clarke was one of the first to enter the leadership race. Coming from the left of the party and being one of the most pro-euro Conservative MPs, he lost out to the eurosceptic William Hague, who benefited from the backing of the darling of the Tory right, Lady Thatcher.

He lost out again to Ian Duncan Smith, after William Hague’s resignation, forcing him to head for the backbenches, with some lucrative company directorships (most notably of British American Tobacco) helping to occupy his time.

His only notable appearances since have been to advocate British entry into the euro, something that many in the Conservative Party will never forgive him for.