Fox, Liam (1961– )

British Conservative politician, shadow defence secretary from 2005. The shadow secretary of state for health 1999–2005, in 2003 he organized Michael Howard's unopposed, successful bid to replace Iain Duncan Smith as party leader. Between November 2003 and May 2005 he served as the party's co-chair, with the brief to revamp its organization and improve its communications. After the party's defeat in the May 2005 general election he became shadow foreign secretary, and in December 2005 was appointed shadow defence secretary by David Cameron, the new party leader. He stands on the right of the Conservative party, with strong Atlanticist and Euro-sceptic views, and opposes abortion.

Born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, into a Roman Catholic family, he studied medicine at Glasgow University and became a general practitioner (GP) and civilian army medical officer. He was unsuccessful in his 1987 bid to become MP for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, but in 1992 was elected MP for Woodspring, Bristol. During the 1992–97 Conservative government of John Major, he was parliamentary private secretary to Michael Howard, the home secretary, 1993–94, and was undersecretary of state at the Foreign Office 1996–97. In 1997–99 he was opposition front bench spokesman on constitutional affairs.

In October 2005 he finished in third place in the contest to replace Michael Howard as party leader.