Nigel was born in November 1957. He was educated at Dynevor School, and University College, Swansea (BA Hons Politics). He owns and runs a small retail business in Swansea.
Before regaining the Conservative Seat of Ribble Valley in 1992, Nigel contested Swansea in the 1987 General Election, Pontypridd in the 1989 by-election and Ribble Valley in the 1991 by-election.
He was a member of West Glamorgan County Council from 1985 until 1991, President of Swansea West Conservative Association and Chairman of the Welsh Parliamentary Candidates Policy Group in 1990.
Nigel has worked on three successive US Presidential Campaigns and remains very keen on US politics. He returned from the 2000 Republican Party Convention in Philadelphia where he acted as British Conservative Party Parliamentary Observer.
He is a former member of the Transport Select Committee, and has served on the Public Service Select Committee.
From June 1993 to June 1995, he was Parliamentary Private Secretary to The Rt Hon The Lord Hunt of Wirral, (whilst he was the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and also when he was Secretary of State for Employment). He was also PPS to Tony Baldry MP, Minister of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food between October 1995 and July 1996 and he was PPS to William Hague MP, Secretary of State for Wales, between June 1996 and May 1997.
In June 1997, he was appointed Opposition Front Bench Spokesman for Constitutional Affairs.
In May 1999, he was appointed as Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party. He also heads the Conservative Party’s Information Technology Committee. He was appointed leader of the Conservative Party 2001 General Election Campaign in Wales. From 2001 to 2003, he was Shadow Secretary of State for Wales.
From 2004 to 2005, he was Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party, with specific responsibility for overseeing Conservatives Abroad and mobilising the Conservative vote overseas.
He is currently Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons.