Philip Hammond, Baron Hammond of Runnymede, PC

Conservative MP for Runnymede & Weybridge, 1997-

Chancellor of the Exchequer, 2016 -

Philip Anthony Hammond PC MP (born 4 December 1955) is a British Conservative politician who was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer on 13 July 2016.

Hammond was born in Epping, Essex and studied PPE at University College, Oxford. He first entered Parliament following his election in 1997 as the Member of Parliament for Runnymede and Weybridge.

He was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet by David Cameron in 2005 as Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, remaining in this position until a 2007 reshuffle, when he became Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. After the formation of the Coalition Government in May 2010, he was appointed Secretary of State for Transport and was sworn of the Privy Council.

Upon the resignation of Liam Fox over a scandal in October 2011, Hammond was promoted to Secretary of State for Defence and, in July 2014, he became Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. After Theresa May succeeded Cameron as Prime Minister in July 2016, she appointed Hammond Chancellor of the Exchequer.

• Wikipedia: Philip Hammond