Eye salutes Tory uber-blogger Iain Dale for suggesting Hammond's appointment at 08:25 this morning!
No matter.
Biog below with a bowler tip to the Industry Forum:
Philip Hammond has been a Member of Parliament representing Runnymede and Weybridge since 1997. He previously fought a parliamentary by-election in Newham North-East in 1994. Philip was Secretary of the Conservative Party Health Committee and has also served as a member of the Select Committee for Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Trade & Industry Select Committee.
In June 1998, Philip was appointed to the Opposition Front Bench as Shadow Minister for Health. In September 2001, he was appointed Shadow Trade & Industry Minister with the additional role of Shadow Minister for Small Business.
From 2002 to 2005, he was Shadow Minister for Local Government. In this role Philip was responsible for developing Conservative Party policy on local government finance (including council tax), the Fire and Rescue Service and traveller management.
In May 2005, he became the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. From December 2005 until July 2007, Philip served as the Shadow Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, when he was re-appointed Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
And one piece of good news.
Today's egalitarian Conservative party couldn't have selected a better man to tackle the thorny issue of Network Rail governance.
With a personal fortune estimated at £9m Hammond will clearly not feel too inferior at his first meeting with NR's bonus encrusted directors.
UPDATE: This from Fareham Philip...
Although representing Weybridge, Philip Hammond did not want to travel up to Westminster on his local SWT Class 450 every day as his constituents have to.
So he bought a second house in London and charged the taxpayers over £100,000 (as reported in Telegraph) for paying his mortgage and running it.
Perhaps a daily 2nd Class commute on the 3+2 seating of a 450 will enlighten him a lot more as to the problems of the railway industry.
