David Davis to head up new Brexit ministry
Mr. Davis, who campaigned for Leave in the the referendum, has been on the backbenches after a five year stint as Shadow Home Secretary, ending in 2008. Before that he had spent time as Shadow Secretary of State for the Office of Deputy Prime Minister, Chair of the Conservative Party, and four years as Chair of the Public Accounts Committee between 1997-2001. His only other position in Government was as Minister of State for Europe under John Major between 1994-97.
Born in York, he moved to south London after his mother married a printworker, Ronald Davis. After school he worked as an insurance clerk and became a member of the Territorial Army's SAS regiment. He then went to University of Warwick and graduated with a degree in Molecular Science and Computer Science; he went on to get masters in business from the London Business School and later Harvard.
Before becoming an MP he worked at Tate & Lyle for 17 years, rising to become a senior executive.
He was first elected in 1987 to the Humberside seat of Boothferry. In 1997 the constituency was abolished and he took over at neighbouring seat Haltemprice & Howden. In 2005 he competed with David Cameron for the leadership of the Conservative Party. He got through to the last two but was defeated by the vote of the membership.