Rider

Matthew Hancock, who is replacing Ed Vaizey at the DCMS, comes to the role as one of the movers and shakers in the plans to sell off Channel 4.  Cameras caught sight of minutes of a meeting involving the then-Cabinet Office Minister and John Whittingdale back in September; Mr Hancock was a protege of George Osborne, who, at that stage, was still asset-stripping UK plc in pursuit of deficit reduction.

Matthew (37, King's Chester, Exeter College, Oxford and Christ' College Cambridge) comes to his new job a stone lighter than his usual weight, having slimmed to ride in this year's Newmarket Town Plate for charity. He rode the grey, Medieval Chapel, but was caught at the post.

Second in the Newmarket Town Plate. Congratulations to Sheikh @FahadAlthaniQR who rode a superb race to victory https://t.co/Xs1JIPKshu

— Matt Hancock (@MattHancockMP) July 7, 2016

Matthew also boasts an A-level in computing from West Cheshire College, and worked for a time for the family business, Border Business Systems, based in Farndon, which specialises in software for direct marketing. They came up with the online system that auto-enters your address when you supply postcode and street number...