Iain Duncan Smith

Biography

Iain Duncan Smith previously served as leader of the Conservative Party and has been an MP for Chingford and Woodford Green since 1992.

Under party leader William Hague he held several senior positions including Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security and Shadow Secretary of State for Defence.

Iain took over as leader following William Hague’s resignation partly with the support of Margaret Thatcher.

He was later appointed by Prime Minister David Cameron as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and rolled out Universal Credit.

In the 2019 Tory leadership election Iain served as Chairman for Boris Johnson’s leadership campaign with an big win, with over 50% of MPs and 66% of the Conservative membership voting for Johnson to become the next Tory leader.

He was knighted in the 2020 New Year Honours for political and public service.

Iain’s father was an RAF pilot during World War Two and after a spell at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst he was commissioned into the Scots Guards rising to the rank of captain.

In 2004, he founded the Centre for Social Justice to help tackle poverty and remained Chairman of the organisation until taking up the post of Secretary of State.

Iain regularly appears on TV and radio as a political commentator on BBC, Sky News, ITV News and GB News.