James Duddridge MP was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on 11 August 2014. He was elected to Parliament in 2005 as the Conservative MP for Rochford & Southend East. James was educated at Essex University. He had a business career in the private sector, including ten years in the banking industry in Africa and London. He has vast experience on Africa affairs, a keen interest in financial matters and industry, and was a founding member of the polling forum YouGov.