David Laws's Biography

David Laws was born in Farnham in Surrey in 1965.

He studied at St. George's College, Weybridge (an independent Catholic school) and Kings College Cambridge where he received a double first in economics.

David Laws initially pursued a career in the city and whilst still in his twenties he became a vice-president of JP Morgan, and he also rose to be managing director of Barclays de Zoete Wedd, before leaving the city and being appointed economic adviser to the Lib Dems in 1994.

Laws went on to become the Lib Dems' Director of Policy and Research.

In 2001 David Laws succeeded Paddy Ashdown as MP for Yeovil.

In July 2001 he was appointed to the Treasury Select Committee.

He went on to hold several Lib Dem posts in parliament including Deputy Spokesman for Defence, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.

After the May 2010 general election David Laws was part of the Liberal Democrat team that negotiated the coalition deal with the Conservatives.

He then joined the Cabinet as Treasury Chief Secretary, however he resigned weeks later after apologising for claiming thousands of pounds in expenses to rent rooms in homes owned by his partner, James Lundie.

David Laws enjoys trekking.

The Telegraph quotes David Laws as saying:

"Try not to worry about the small things in life that go wrong. You are only on the planet once. Get the best out of it."

For more information, They Work For You has access to the likes of David Laws's expenses, voting record and speeches.