▁University ▁of ▁War wick . ▁There , ▁he ▁was ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁War wick ▁Conserv ative ▁Association . ▁He ▁graduated ▁with ▁a ▁first ▁class ▁hon ours ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁( BA ▁H ons ) ▁degree ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁He ▁then ▁attended ▁Cla re ▁College , ▁University ▁of ▁Cambridge , ▁where ▁he ▁studied ▁Mes op ot am ian ▁arch ae ology ▁between ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁ ▁L ought on ▁followed ▁a ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁London ▁as ▁a ▁fund ▁manager ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁for ▁F lem ing ▁Private ▁As set ▁Management , ▁becoming ▁a ▁director ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 2 – 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁Parliament ary ▁career ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁L ought on ▁un success fully ▁cont ested ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁She ff ield ▁Bright side ▁for ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁general ▁election , ▁when ▁he ▁stood ▁against ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party ' s ▁David ▁Bl unk ett . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁L ought on ▁was ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁East ▁Wor thing ▁and ▁Sh ore ham , ▁a ▁seat ▁created ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁boundary ▁changes , ▁replacing ▁the ▁Wor thing ▁and ▁Sh ore ham ▁constitu encies . ▁ ▁L ought on ▁entered ▁Parliament ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁general ▁election ▁and ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁ ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0