Ranil Jayawardena MP was first elected as the Member of Parliament for North East Hampshire in May 2015, and was re-elected in 2017 and 2019. 

He was appointed as Minister for International Trade in May 2020. Before serving as a Minister, Ranil was a Member of the International Trade, Home Affairs, Procedure and Arms Export Controls Committees, and was appointed by the Speaker of the House of Commons to the Chairmans’ Panel. He was also made Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party by the Prime Minister. 

North East Hampshire is Ranil’s home. He grew up in Hook, and went to Hook Infants and Juniors, prior to Robert May’s in Odiham and Alton College. Before his election to Parliament, he was a Councillor, serving as Deputy Leader of the Borough of Basingstoke and Deane, part of which is within the constituency. An alumnus of London School of Economics, he combined his service in local government with working for Lloyds Banking Group plc and is a Freeman of the City of London. He also has wide ranging commercial experience from the pharmaceutical, construction, transport and leisure sectors. 

Ranil now lives in Bramley, in the north of the constituency, with his wife and daughters. In his spare time, Ranil likes watching cricket, tennis and rugby.