▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁Dow den ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Br icket ▁Wood , ▁H ert ford shire . ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁Par m iter ' s ▁School , ▁a ▁state ▁compreh ensive ▁school ▁in ▁Gar ston , ▁Wat ford , ▁and ▁has ▁said ▁he ▁received ▁an ▁" ex cell ent ▁state ▁education ". ▁He ▁then ▁studied ▁Law ▁at ▁Tr inity ▁Hall , ▁Cambridge . ▁ ▁Career ▁Kn own ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁bright est ▁political ▁strateg ists , ▁Dow den ▁joined ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Research ▁Department ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁moving ▁to ▁PR ▁company ▁Hill ▁& ▁Know l ton ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁party ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁Prior ▁to ▁his ▁selection ▁as ▁Conserv ative ▁candidate ▁for ▁H ert sm ere , ▁he ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁special ▁advis er , ▁and ▁David ▁Camer on ' s ▁deput y ▁chief ▁of ▁staff . ▁ ▁Dow den ▁was ▁opposed ▁to ▁Bre x it ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁refer endum . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁Dow den ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Parliament ary ▁Secretary ▁to ▁the ▁Cab inet ▁Office , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁Ther esa ▁May ' s ▁cabinet ▁res h uffle . ▁On ▁ 2 4 ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁Minister ▁for ▁the ▁Cab inet ▁Office ▁and ▁Pay master ▁General ▁by ▁incoming ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Bor is ▁Johnson . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Priv y