Chris Grayling

The Right Honourable Chris Grayling MP
Official portrait, 2020
Secretary of State for Transport
In office 14 July 2016 – 24 July 2019
Prime Minister	Theresa May
Preceded by	Patrick McLoughlin
Succeeded by	Grant Shapps
Leader of the House of Commons
In office 9 May 2015 – 13 July 2016
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	William Hague
Succeeded by	David Lidington
Lord President of the Council
In office 9 May 2015 – 14 July 2016
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	Nick Clegg
Succeeded by	David Lidington
Secretary of State for Justice Lord Chancellor
In office 4 September 2012 – 9 May 2015
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	Ken Clarke
Succeeded by	Michael Gove
Minister of State for Employment
In office 13 May 2010 – 4 September 2012
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	Jim Knight
Succeeded by	Mark Hoban
Shadow Cabinet positions Shadow Home Secretary In office 19 January 2009 – 11 May 2010 Leader David Cameron Preceded by Dominic Grieve Succeeded by Alan Johnson Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions In office 2 July 2007 – 19 January 2009 Leader David Cameron Preceded by Philip Hammond Succeeded by Theresa May Shadow Secretary of State for Transport In office 6 December 2005 – 2 July 2007 Leader David Cameron Preceded by Tim Yeo Succeeded by Theresa Villiers Shadow Leader of the House of Commons In office 10 May 2005 – 6 December 2005 Leader Michael Howard Preceded by Oliver Heald Succeeded by Theresa May
Member of Parliament for Epsom and Ewell
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 June 2001
Preceded by	Archie Hamilton
Majority	17,873 (30.1%)
Personal details
Born	Christopher Stephen Grayling (1962-04-01) 1 April 1962 (age 62) London, England
Political party	Conservative (1988–present)
Other political affiliations	SDP (before 1988)
Spouse	Susan Dillistone
Children	2
Alma mater	Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge

Christopher Stephen Grayling (born 1 April 1962) is a British politician and author who served as Secretary of State for Justice from 2012 to 2015, Leader of the House of Commons from 2015 to 2016 and Secretary of State for Transport from 2016 until 2019. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Epsom and Ewell since 2001. Grayling previously worked in the television and film industry.

Grayling was born in London and studied History at Cambridge University. He wrote a number of books as well as working for the BBC and Channel 4 before going into politics. A member of the Social Democratic Party until 1988, he then joined the Conservatives. First elected to Parliament in the 2001 general election for Epsom and Ewell, he was appointed to the Shadow Cabinet of David Cameron in 2005 as Shadow Secretary of State for Transport. In 2007, he became the Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and in 2009 he was appointed Shadow Home Secretary.

Following the 2010 general election and the formation of the Cameron–Clegg coalition, Grayling was made Minister of State for Employment. In September 2012, he was appointed to the Cabinet as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice and served until 2015. He was the first non-lawyer to have served as Lord Chancellor for at least 440 years. He was Leader of the House of Commons and the Lord President of the Council from 2015 to 2016. In the majority and minority May governments, Grayling served as Secretary of State for Transport.

Grayling stood down from the Cabinet when Boris Johnson became Prime Minister in July 2019. Johnson hoped for Grayling to become Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee by being voted in by the Conservative majority on the committee. However, fellow Conservative Julian Lewis defeated Grayling in the ballot by using opposition votes to secure a majority, in what was seen as a blow to Johnson and his adviser Dominic Cummings. Six weeks later, Grayling resigned from the committee apparently due to his failure to become chair. He announced he would not seek re-election at the next general election.