DESMOND Swayne has been the Conservative MP for New Forest West since the seat was created in 1997.

Prior to politics the married father-of-three was a school master from 1981 to 1987 and then a manager with the Royal Bank of Scotland from 1987 to 1997.

Mr Swayne has served as parliamentary private secretary to the Leader of the Opposition since September 2004 first to Michael Howard and now to David Cameron.

Before becoming the New Forest West MP, Mr Swayne, 54, stood for election in Pontypridd in 1987 and West Bromwich West in 1992.

He also contested a district council and a county council seat in the West Midlands, and a London borough seat in North Kensington.

An officer in the Territorial Army, Mr Swayne served in Iraq in 2003.

He lives in Burley with his wife Moira and his children.

Mr Swayne said: "Britain needs to change course because the deficit is dragging our economy down.

"We need change to rebuild our broken politics -exemplified by the expenses scandal but which runs much deeper. We need real power, to be returned to local communities.

"We need change in order to fix our broken society which is now characterised by welfare dependency; anti social behaviour, indiscipline, and crime.

"Five more years of Gordon Brown won't change anything. Only voting Conservative will get rid of him."