Biography - Rt Hon Alan Duncan MP

Alan was born in 1957, the son of an RAF officer, and educated at Beechwood Park School, Herts, and Merchant Taylors' School before going on to read Politics and Economics at St John's College, Oxford.

Elected President of the Oxford Union in 1979, Alan went on to win a Kennedy Scholarship at Harvard University following an initial period working for Shell.

After living in Singapore between 1984 and 1986 and travelling widely during his time as an oil trader for an independent commodity company, Alan returned to contest the Barnsley West and Penistone seat in the 1987 General Election, before being elected for as MP for Rutland and Melton in 1992. He was subsequently re-elected in 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2010.

modernising force within the party, encouraging a more socially and economically liberal approach. A respected voice on the Middle East within the party, Alan continues to travel extensively in the region. As the first ever openly gay Conservative MP he was at the forefront of the party's efforts to enact the Civil Partnership Bill.

Following the formation of the Coalition Government in 2010, Alan was appointed Minister of State for International Development, with a remit covering the Middle East and Asia and relations with the UN, EU, IMF and World Bank.

• May 2010

  Alan is invited to join the Privy Council.

• May 2010

  Alan is re-elected in his Rutland & Melton seat with an increased majority. The new Prime Minister appoints Alan as the Minister for International Development.

• Sep 2009

  Alan is appointed as Shadow Minster for Prisons and Probation.

• Jan 2009

  David Cameron appoints Alan Shadow Leader of the House.

• Jul 2007

  Alan is appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

• May 2005

  Michael Howard appoints Alan as Shadow Secretary of State for Transport.

• Mar 2004

  Alan takes over the real life of a youth worker, and goes outward bound in Wales with eight 12-16 year olds from a tough Manchester housing estate.

• Jun 2002

  Alan Duncan tours the Middle East, meeting Yasser Arafat & Shimon Peres.

• Sep 2001

  Alan is appointed to Shadow Foreign Office team as Shadow Foreign Minister for the Americas, the Middle East and the Indian Sub-Continent.

• Jun 1999

  Alan is made Shadow Minister for Trade and Industry.

• Mar 1999

  Alan delivers speech to Social Market Foundation outlining the Conservatives' radical new policy on healthcare.

• Jun 1998

  Alan is made Shadow Health Minister under Ann Widdecombe.

• Sep 1997

  Alan is one of the main campaign organisers for William Hague's successful leadership election.

• Jan 1997

  Alan’s Beware Blair! is published, warning of the dangers of New Labour.

• Nov 1995

  Alan makes a citizen's arrest after protesters throw paint bombs at Tory Party Chairman Brian Mawhinney.

• Jan 1995

  Saturn’s Children, How the State Devours Liberty, Prosperity and Virtue, co-written with Dominic Hobson, is published.

• Jan 1993

  The pamphlet, An End to Illusions, calling for the first time for the independence of the Bank of England, is published.

• Apr 1992

  Alan wins the Rutland and Melton constituency for the first time.