John Reid is one of the most experienced politicians in the UK today and has held more ministerial posts at Cabinet level than any other politician in recent history. He has served as Home Secretary (2006-07); Secretary of State for Defence (2005-06); Secretary of State for Health (2003-05); Leader of the House of Commons and President of the Privy Council (2003); Chairman of the Labour Party and Minister without Portfolio (2002-03); Secretary of state for Northern Ireland (2001-02); Secretary of State for Scotland (1999-2000); Minister for Transport (1998-99) and Minister for the Armed Forces (1997-98). Reid has been a Member of Parliament for more than 20 years and is currently serving as MP for the Airdrie and Shotts constituency.

John Reid is one of the most experienced politicians in the UK today and has held more ministerial posts at Cabinet level than any other politician in recent history. He has served as Home Secretary (2006-07); Secretary of State for Defence (2005-06); Secretary of State for Health (2003-05); Leader of the House of Commons and President of the Privy Council (2003); Chairman of the Labour Party and Minister without Portfolio (2002-03); Secretary of state for Northern Ireland (2001-02); Secretary of State for Scotland (1999-2000); Minister for Transport (1998-99) and Minister for the Armed Forces (1997-98). Reid has been a Member of Parliament for more than 20 years and is currently serving as MP for the Airdrie and Shotts constituency.

As Secretary of State for Northern Ireland he was centrally involved in carrying forward the Peace Process. His period in office saw the first act of IRA weapons decommissioning, along with the first official recognition of the Northern Ireland by members of the Nationalist community. Both were historic in the context of Northern Ireland's History.

The Product of a Scottish Mining village - his father a postman and mother a domestic servant - John Reid has reached the highest level of every field he has entered and has now added the titles of Chairman of Celtic Football Club and University Fellow to that of former Cabinet Minister, Doctor of Philosophy in History, pianist, guitarist, folk singer and manual labourer.

He is one of the few truly working class lads to reach high office. Regarded by allies as the safest pair of hands and most articulate advocate in the Blair government, and by opponents as the Cabinet 'attack dog', John Reid is a commanding speaker in and outside the House of Commons.

Reid, formerly tipped as a leadership contender, confounded pundits by standing down from the cabinet the same day that Tony Blair stood down from the premiership. In fact this should not have been any surprise to observant commentators. John Reid had always declared that he kept all options open and would be master of his own destiny.

For the past five years he has been married to Carine Adler, and has 2 sons to his late wife Cathie.