▁and ▁former ▁bank er . ▁He ▁has ▁been ▁the ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁( MP ) ▁for ▁Ro ch ford ▁and ▁South end ▁East ▁since ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁government ▁wh ip ▁between ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁and ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁and ▁as ▁the ▁Parliament ary ▁Under - Secret ary ▁of ▁State ▁in ▁the ▁Foreign ▁and ▁Commonwealth ▁Office ▁between ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁and ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁Parliament ary ▁Under - Secret ary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Ex iting ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁from ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁until ▁ 3 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁when ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁left ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁and ▁his ▁office ▁was ▁abol ished . ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁a ▁Parliament ary ▁Under - Secret ary ▁of ▁State ▁in ▁the ▁Foreign ▁and ▁Commonwealth ▁Office ▁and ▁the ▁Department ▁for ▁International ▁Development . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁career ▁D ud d ridge ▁ ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁August ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁in ▁Br istol . ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁C rest wood ▁School , ▁Hud ders field ▁High ▁School ▁and ▁The ▁Blue ▁School , ▁Well s . ▁He ▁read ▁Government ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Es sex . ▁ ▁D ud d ridge ▁served ▁as ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Well s ▁Young ▁Conserv atives ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 1 ,