Jack John Whitaker Straw
Jack Straw was appointed Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor in June 2007. Previously, he had been Leader of the House of Commons with responsibility for Lords Reform and Party Funding since May 2006.
Mr Straw was born in 1946 and educated at Brentwood School, Essex and Leeds University. He was called to the Bar in 1972. He is a visiting Fellow of Nuffield College Oxford and a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society.
Mr Straw was Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 2001 to 2006 and Home Secretary from 1997 to 2001. He was Shadow Home Secretary from 1995 to 1997.
In 1992-1994 he was Shadow Environment Secretary. And between 1987 and 1992 Mr Straw was Shadow Education Secretary.
From 1983 to 1987 he was Opposition spokesman on Local Government and in 1980-1983 on Treasury matters. He was a member of the Labour Party National Executive Committee from 1994 to 1995.
Mr Straw was President of Leeds University Students' Union in 1967-1968 and of the National Union of Students in 1969-1971. From 1971 to 1974 Mr Straw was a member of the Inner London Education Authority and Deputy Leader from 1973 to 1974.
Mr Straw worked as a barrister between 1972 and 1974 and was special adviser to Barbara Castle from 1974 to 1975 and to Peter Shore from 1976 to 1977. He also worked for Granada Television's World in Action programme from 1977 to 1979.
He is married with one son and one daughter. His recreations are walking, music, cooking puddings and supporting Blackburn Rovers.