James Arbuthnot

James has been Chairman of the Defence Select Committee of the House of Commons in the UK since 2005.

James has been a Member of Parliament since 1987, representing North East Hampshire since 1997 and before that Wanstead & Woodford. In 1992 he became a Government Whip (1992-94), and then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Social Security (1994-95). James was then appointed Minister of State for Defence Procurement (1995-97). When the Conservatives went into opposition he became Opposition Chief Whip (1997–2001)
during William Hague’s time as Leader.

After his time as Opposition Chief Whip James became a member of the Intelligence and Security Committee (2001-05) and served as Shadow Secretary of State for Trade (2003-05). He has been Chairman of the British-Spanish Tertulias since 2012, Chairman of the Conservative Friends of Israel since 2005 and Chairman of the All Party Group on Brain Tumours since 2010.

James was born in 1952 and was educated at Eton, where he was captain of the school, and at Trinity College, Cambridge.

A barrister, he was called to the Bar in 1975 and practised until 1992 in trusts, wills, and tax law. He is married to Emma, the Deputy Chief Magistrate of England and Wales. They have four children and live with several dogs, a couple of Alpaca, and an elderly pony. His interests include music and skiing and his ambition is to breed Irish Wolfhounds.