Rt Hon Jack Straw MP
Leader of the House of Commons

The Rt Hon Jack Straw MP was appointed Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal in May 2006.
 
Previously, Mr Straw was Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, serving in that post from June 2001 until May 2006.

He was born in 1946 and educated at Brentwood School, Essex, and Leeds University, where he was President of the Students' Union from 1967-1968. He was President of the National Union of Students from 1969-1971.

Fom 1971 to 1974 Mr Straw was a member of the Inner London Education Authority and Deputy Leader from 1973 to 1974.

Called to the Bar in 1972, Mr Straw worked as a barrister from 1972-1974. He was subsequently special adviser to Barbara Castle as Secretary of State for Social Services from 1974-1976 and to Peter Shore as Secretary of State for the Environment from 1976-1977. He also worked for Granada Television's World in Action programme from 1977-1979.

Elected to Parliament to represent the Blackburn constituency in 1979, Mr Straw served on the Opposition front bench from 1980 until 1997.

He was a spokesman on Treasury and Economic Affairs from 1980 to 1983 and on the environment between 1983 and 1987. He was Shadow Education Secretary from 1987 until 1992, Shadow Environment Secretary 1992-94 and Shadow Home Secretary 1994-97.

Mr Straw became Home Secretary after the 1997 General Election, serving in the post until 2001 and his appointment to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

He is a visiting Fellow of Nuffield College Oxford and a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society.

Mr Straw is married with one son and one daughter. His recreations are walking, music, cooking puddings and supporting Blackburn Rovers.

He was appointed Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor on 28 June 2007.