In 1965, representing the university, he won The Observer Mace debating competition, speaking with Bob Marshall-Andrews (who would also go on to become an MP, for Labour[1]).

In Government he served as a whip and junior minister under Margaret Thatcher, who made him Secretary of State for Wales in 1990, shortly before her resignation later that year.

He briefly returned to the Welsh Office, whilst remaining Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, for two weeks during the leadership election in mid-1995 as acting Secretary of State for Wales after the incumbent, John Redwood, stepped down to be a candidate.

On certain Bills he used to occasionally step back up to the opposition front bench in the House of Lords, on an ad hoc basis.

On 7 October 2008, Conservative leader David Cameron formally appointed him to the front bench to shadow Peter Mandelson in the House of Lords on Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform matters.