Sir George was first elected Member of Parliament for North West Hampshire on 1st May 1997 with a majority of 11,551 votes. He was re-elected on 7th June 2001 with an increased majority (12,009 votes) over Labour, but on a reduced turnout, giving him an increased share of the total votes (50.1%) (Click here for detailed results of both elections). Towards the end of 2004 the local Conservative Association unanimously readopted him as their parliamentary candidate for this General Election.

First elected to Parliament in 1974, he had previously served as MP for Ealing Acton, a constituency which disappeared as a result of boundary changes which reduced by 10 the numbers of MPs in London.

As Member for North West Hampshire he became Shadow Leader of the House of Commons in William Hague's Shadow Cabinet, having been Shadow Defence Secretary from May 1997 until June 1998. In the June 1999 reshuffle, Sir George was given additional responsibilities as Spokesman on Constitutional Affairs. His earlier Ministerial career under John Major and Margaret Thatcher included spells at Health, Environment and Housing. He served as Financial Secretary to HM Treasury, 1994-1995 and as Secretary of State for Transport, 1995-1997. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor in the June 1993 Birthday Honours.

In September 2000, Sir George resigned from the Shadow Cabinet to allow his name to go forward as a candidate for Speaker. In the new parliament following the General Election of 2001, he was elected Chairman of the Select Committee on Standards and Privileges, and served on the Liaison Committee, cross-examining the Prime Minister twice a year.

A regular speaker in the House, he has campaigned on a variety of issues ranging from resources for the local NHS, to home education, additional carparking facilities at local railway stations and reform of the House of Lords. He has spoken out forcefully on the need for the House of Commons to take back from the Executive the powers it needs to hold the Government to account.

Born in 1941, Sir George was educated at Eton; at Christ Church, Oxford where he won an Open Exhibition; and at the University of Surrey where he gained a postgraduate degree. He is married and has two sons and two daughters. His elder daughter, Sophia, is married with three children and lives in Cookham, next to her brother Gerry, an accountant. Gerry's wife Marianne had a baby boy in December 2003 - another George and potentially the 8th Baronet.

His wife Aurelia is active in the constituency. Previously, she was on Lambeth Borough Council, the Inner London Education Authority and Windsor and Maidenhead District Council. She has been on the Governing Bodies of a number of schools and is President of the League of Friends of Andover Hospital and a regular speaker at local voluntary organisations.

Sir George and Aurelia live in the constituency at Penton Mewsey. They enjoy cycling round the lanes near their home on their tandem, and attending local events such as those organised by the Andover Choral Society.