Rt Hon Sir David Liddington

David Liddington is a Distinguished Fellow and former Chair (2020-2025) of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), the UK’s foremost Defence and Security Policy think tank. He is Honorary President of the Great Britain China Centre and UK Chair of the Königswinter Conference (UK/Germany) and the Aurora Forum (UK/Nordics and Baltics). He also chairs the Buckinghamshire Historic Churches Trust.

David represented Aylesbury in the House of Commons from 1992 to 2019.

As Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster he served as deputy to Prime Minister Theresa May from January 2018 to July 2019, having previously served in the May governments as Leader of the House of Commons and as Justice Secretary.

David served as Minister for Europe throughout the coalition government and David Cameron’s Conservative government (2010-2016), the UK’s longest-serving holder of that post. He held responsibility for the UK’s relations with more than 50 countries in Europe and Central Asia and represented the UK at the EU, NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe and the UN Security Council. 

After obtaining a History degree at Sidney Sussex College Cambridge, David achieved a PhD for a study of law enforcement under Elizabeth I, and in retirement is researching the political career of William Cecil, Lord Burghley. He captained Sidney Sussex College’s University Challenge team to win the series in 1979, and led the team again to win the “Champion of Champions” tournament to mark the show’s 40th anniversary in 2002. His interests include history, choral singing and mountain walking.

He is married to Helen, with whom he has four grown up sons