At the close of the last Conservative government William Hague was a little known junior cabinet minister. Within weeks the 36-year-old had been elected leader of the Conservative Party, with a mission to rebuild its fortunes after a devastating defeat. The leader of the world's oldest political party was best known for the speech he had given to the Tory Party conference 20 years previously. This biography of Hague illustrates his swift an determined rise through the party's ranks. It analyzes the influence which drove a teenager to take up politics with a passion that has never faded even since 1997, when as a party leader he faced his toughest criticisms and biggest challenges.