Lord Vaizey of Didcot

Ed is the former Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

He was elected Conservative Member of Parliament for the constituency of Wantage in 2005, and was re-elected in 2010 with an increased majority.

Born in 1968, Ed attended Merton College, Oxford. When he left university, he spent two years working for the Conservative Party’s Research Department, before training and practising as a barrister.

In 1996, he left the law, and became the director of a highly successful public relations company based in London. In 2004, he left to become the chief speech writer for the then Leader of the Opposition, Michael Howard.

Ed also built up a career as a freelance political commentator, writing regularly for The Guardian, and appearing on programmes such as Despatch Box and The Wright Stuff, as well as broadcasting frequently on Five Live.