Chris Patten: fact file

Born: 1944; married with three children; two dogs, Whisky and Soda.

Born: 1944; married with three children; two dogs, Whisky and Soda.

Educated: St Benedict's School, Ealing; Balliol, Oxford (BA hons, modern history, MA)

Career: 1966, Conservative Research Department; 1970-1974, political adviser, Cabinet Office; then Home Office; 1974, head of Conservative Research Department; 1979-1992, MP for Bath; 1983-1990, junior ministries, Northern Ireland Office and Education and Science; Ministries for Overseas Development and Environment; 1990, chairman of party; 1992, lost seat, named governor of Hong Kong; 1998, chairman of Independent Commission on Policing for NI; 1999, EU Commissioner.

Author: The Tory Case; East and West.

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Enjoys: reading, tennis, gardening.