In 1960 he went to the Southern Cameroons as a plebiscite officer, and in 1961 he moved to Nigeria, working as a manager for the United Africa Company.

[1] Grist was known as a very assiduous Member of Parliament, who worked hard for his constituents and preferred to handle their complaints, rather than focus on his career.

[6] In 1987 Margaret Thatcher surprisingly appointed him Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales, a post for which his signature posed a problem ("I.

Grist" signifying "Jesus Christ" in Welsh[1]), and remained in the position until he was sacked by John Major in 1990.

[4] In the 1992 general election he lost Cardiff Central to Labour Co-operative candidate Jon Owen Jones.

[7] While in opposition, Grist attacked Welsh devolution, unions, pop festivals and Neil Kinnock, whom he described as "neo-Marxist".