THE Richmond constituency is used to having its politicians enjoy a high-flying career.

From Leon Brittan taking on the role in 1983 and acting as Home Secretary, to William Hague being elected in 1989 and being appointed Foreign Secretary from 2010 to 2014, Rishi Sunak was the next promising young politician to take the helm in 2015.

Know as one of the safest Conservative seats in the country, the large Richmond constituency includes major towns of Northallerton, Bedale, Stokesley, Great Ayton and Hawes.

The constituency presents itself as a safe seat for the Conservative Party, which has held it continuously since 1910, and in the 2010 general election, Richmond produced the largest numerical and percentage majority for a Conservative, 62.8 per cent of the vote.

Rishi Sunak, who lives in Kirby Sigston, near Northallerton, was elected the new MP in 2015 and has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the ranks since then.

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In July 2019 he was picked by Boris Johnson to be chief secretary to the Treasury, after being parliamentary under-secretary in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government from January 2018 to July 2019.

Mr Sunak campaigned for Leave in the EU referendum, and his constituency voted 55 per cent Leave.

He voted for Theresa May’s Brexit deal on all three occasions, and was an early supporter of Boris Johnson, making a number of media appearances in his support.

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Mr Sunak milking a cow on an early fact finding mission to the Yorkshire Dales in 2015

Mr Sunak’s father was an NHS GP and his mother a pharmacist, after emigrating from India to the UK with Mr Sunak’s grandparents.

He was born in 1980 in Southampton in Hampshire, and studied at private school Winchester College.

Mr Sunak then went on to Oxford University to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics, before studying for an MBA at Stanford University, California, where he met wife Akshata Murthy, daughter of Indian billionaire and co-founder of IT services giant Infosys Narayana Murthy.

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The couple have two daughters.

Before entering politics, Mr Sunak worked for investment bank Goldman Sachs and a hedge fund, then co-founded an investment firm.

Mr Sunak said about his early political career: “I wanted to make that same positive difference to people as their Member of Parliament and I was first elected to represent this wonderful constituency in 2015 and re-elected in 2017.

"I have been fortunate to enjoy a successful business career. I co-founded a large investment firm, working with companies from Silicon Valley to Bangalore.

“Then I used that experience to help small and entrepreneurial British companies grow successfully. From working in my mum’s tiny chemist shop to my experience building large businesses, I have seen first-hand how politicians should support free enterprise and innovation to ensure our future prosperity.

“My parents sacrificed a great deal so I could attend good schools. I was lucky to study at Winchester College, Oxford University and Stanford University. That experience changed my life and as a result I am passionate about ensuring everybody has access to a great education.

“I have been a school governor, a board member of a large youth club, and have always volunteered my time to education programmes that spread opportunity.”

His appointment as Chancellor of the Exchequer may be a surprise to some, but he has long been seen as a rising star of the Conservative Party.

He has been unflappable so far in his career, and with his promotion will come a whole new level of professional scrutiny. Maintaining his trademark calm, positive exterior when delivering the next Budget, for example will be his first big test.

However he performs, he will no doubt continue to enjoy huge support back in blue Richmond.