Lord (‘Tom’) King of Bridgewater has been a life peer since 2001. He was Conservative MP for Bridgewater from 1970-2001 and held a number of ministerial posts, include Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1985-9) and Defence Secretary from 1989-92.  After retirement to the back benches, he served as chairman of the Intelligence and Security Select Committee (1994-2001).  He serves as Deputy Chairman on the Conservative Party’s Policy Group on National and International Security set up by David Cameron in 2006.