DR JULIAN Lewis has been the MP for New Forest East since 1997.

Born in Swansea, Mr Lewis went to Dynevor Grammar School before attending Balliol College, Oxford.

He received an MA in philosophy and politics in 1977, then a DPhil in strategic studies in 1981 from St Antony's College, Oxford.

During the Cold War, Mr Lewis was a Royal Navy Reservist on the Southampton-based minesweeper HMS Glasserton.

In his time as New Forest East MP, Mr Lewis has voted for the war on Iraq and the introduction of compulsory ID cards. He voted against the fox hunting ban, adoption rights for unmarried and gay couples and a reduction in the age of consent for gay men to 16.

Since 2002 Mr Lewis has been shadow defence minister with responsibility for the Royal Navy and from September 2004 until May 2005 he served as the shadow minister for the Cabinet Office.

He said: "Either David Cameron or Gordon Brown will be the next Prime Minister. Either there will be a fresh Conservative Government or more dire years under Labour.

"My campaigning record shows that a competent MP can be effective both locally and at Westminster."