The Right Honourable Theresa May (born 1956) is a British politician, former chairman of the Conservative Party, and MP for Maidenhead.

She studied at St Hugh's College, Oxford and obtained a Geography MA. From 1985 to 1997, she was a consultant for a financial institution, and in 1997 became the Tory MP for Maidenhead - she had in 1992 stood for Durham North West, a safe Labour seat. She soon became a member of William Hague's team, with her appointment as Shadow Spokesman for Schools, Disabled People and Women from 1998 to June 1999.

She then joined the Shadow Cabinetin 1999 as Shadow Education and Employment Secretary, and since then, under Iain Duncan Smith had been in a variety of shadow cabinet posts. She Shadowed Stephen Byers the Transport Secretary in the period leading up to his resignation making many media appearances and contributing to his eventual decision to go. Her success in this role led to her appointment as the first woman chairman in July 2002. Whilst holding this role she courted controversy within the party at the 2002 Party Conference by warning that the Tories were perceived as the nasty party and that they needed to shed this image.

After Michael Howard became Tory leader in 2003, he made her Shadow Secretary of State for Transport and the Environment. However in June 2004 she was moved to the new position of Shadow Secretary of State for the Family. In some quarters this was seen as a demotion, but a high profile speech by the party leader Michael Howard in late 2004 demonstrated that policy with regards to Family and particularly child care is set to be a key area in the forthcoming General Election.

Mrs May is known for her love of shoes; in the register of members interests she declared that she had '[received a] discount card on the purchase of shoes from Russell and Bromley, which has the potential to be of registrable value.'

See also

• Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (UK)

External link

• Theresa May (http://www.tmay.co.uk) official site
• Guardian Unlimited Ask Aristotle - Theresa May (http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,,-3441.html)
• They Work For You - Theresa May MP (http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/?pid=10426)