William Hague

The Right Honourable William Jefferson Hague (born March 26, 1961) is a British politician and former leader of the Conservative Party. Hague was born in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, into an upper-middle class family in a strongly working-class area, and caused a sensation at the age of sixteen by speaking at the Conservative party's 1977 national conference. This appearance is so infamous that the comedian Harry Enfield based his Tory Boy character on it, long before Hague emerged as a well-known politican.

Backbenches

Whilst now on the backbenches, he occasionally still speaks in the House on the issues of the day. During a debate before the Iraq War (2003) Hague's speech in support of action proposed by Tony Blair was a typical example. During the television coverage of him speaking one could lipread the Prime Minister - whom Hague, a Conservative, normally opposes - saying with a grin to his colleague and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw: "He's good, you know."

Related Topics:
Tony Blair - Prime Minister - Foreign Secretary - Jack Straw

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Between 1997 and 2002 William Hague was the chairman of the International Democrat Union. Since 2002 he has served as a deputy chairman to John Howard, the Prime Minister of Australia.

Related Topics:
International Democrat Union - John Howard - Prime Minister - Australia

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William Hague is no longer in the political spot light, and it seems unlikely that he will return to front-line politics in the near future. A much-praised performance as "guest host" on the satirical television programme Have I Got News For You may indicate a possible future direction to his career. Other subsequent activities have included his in-depth biography of 18th century Prime Minister Pitt the Younger, published in 2004, and 25th anniversary programme for Radio 4 about the political television satire Yes, Minister in 2005.

Related Topics:
Have I Got News For You - 18th century - Pitt the Younger - 2004 - Radio 4 - Yes, Minister - 2005

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William Hague now serves on the Conservative Leadership Council, along with Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH, Rt. Hon. Ken Clarke QC MP and his successor Rt. Hon. Iain Duncan Smith MP, which was set up by Rt. Hon. Michael Howard QC MP upon his 'election' as Conservative Party Leader.

Related Topics:
Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH - Rt. Hon. Ken Clarke QC MP - Rt. Hon. Iain Duncan Smith MP - Rt. Hon. Michael Howard QC MP

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