Michael Howard was a member of the UK House of Commons for 27 years and served in the cabinets of Margaret Thatcher and John Major. He was Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2003 to 2005 and led the Party at the 2005 general election after which he was succeeded by David Cameron. He was appointed a Companion of Honour in 2011 and now sits in the House of Lords and is a member of its Constitution Committee.
 

Michael also served as co-chair of the UK-Japan 21st Century Group and was honoured by the Emperor for his services.
 

Since his retirement from front-line politics he has continued to keep a close watch on international affairs and has divided his time between various business interests and charities, such as Hospice UK. Michael has made a special study of the first few weeks of Winston Churchill's Prime Ministership in 1940 and loves to exchange views about that critical period which, in his view, changed the world.