Lord Perry Andrew Mitchell / House of Lords

I was thrown out of school when I was 16. My first job was selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door. I went to evening classes 4 nights a week for 5 years and obtained my A levels and a B.Sc (Econ) from the University of London. I then achieved an MBA from Columbia Business School, New York City.

As a business entrepreneur I founded, grew and subsequently sold, three international companies in the IT services sector: Standard Chartered Leasing Ltd; United Leasing plc and Syscap plc.

Today my interest is in start-up companies that I believe are positioned for fast growth. I am a shareholder and chairman of Instant Impact, based in London - in just four years this company has become a market leader in graduate recruitment.

I have also been an entrepreneur in philanthropy: I formed and chaired the eLearning Foundation (which provides laptops for disadvantaged children); I founded an initiative called Making Connections which is successfully enabling Israeli and British top level academics to collaborate on scientific research projects; I also chaired the Coexistence Trust whose mission it was to encourage dialogue between Muslim and Jewish students on UK campuses. I was part of the team that brought the 4 original Magna Cartas together in 2015.

I was ennobled in 2000 and take the Labour whip. In July 2013 I was appointed as Shadow Business Minister - I also chaired Labour Digital. I sit on the Joint Parliamentary Select Committee on National Security Strategy.

Against tough Government opposition I drove the campaign in the Lords to regulate payday lending - today it is law and payday lending is in retreat.

I am currently part of Sadiq Khan's team for him to become mayor of London - my responsibilities are business and tech.

I am 72 andI have lived in London all my life, except for 2 years in New York. I relax in Umbria. I saw Spurs win the double in '61 and was at Wembley in '66. Only saw Miles play once.