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Michael Howard
Michael Howard was born in 1941 and educated at Llanelli Grammar School and Cambridge University. He stood unsuccessfully for the constituency of Liverpool Edge Hill and followed a career as a barrister before being selected for the seat of Folkestone. He won this seat in 1983, becoming a Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department of Trade and Industry in 1985, then Minister for Local Government in 1987. Margaret Thatcher promoted Howard to the Cabinet in 1990 as Secretary of State for Employment.
Michael Howard maintained his role after the election of John Major as leader of the Conservative Party, and was moved to become Secretary of State for Environment in 1992, before being promoted to Home Secretary in 1993. He held this role until the 1997 General Election, after which he stood for leadership of the Conservative Party. Under William Hague he became the Shadow Foreign Secretary from 1997 to 1998 before returning to the backbenches.
After Iain Duncan Smith's victory in the 2001 Conservative, Michael Howard became the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer before becoming the Conservative Party leader when Duncan Smith failed to win a vote of confidence in his leadership. Michael Howard remained as party leader until the 2005 General Election, when following a further defeat for the Conservative Party, he stood down, being replaced later in 2005 by the new leader, David Cameron.
Michael Howard confirmed in 2007 that he intended to leave the House of Commons at the next General Election.