Editing Chris Grayling (section)

==Early life and career==
Grayling was born in London and grew up in [[Buckinghamshire]], where he was educated at the [[Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe]]. He then went to [[Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge]], where he graduated with an upper-second class Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1984.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/who-is-chris-grayling-meet-the-new-transport-secretary/|title=Who is Chris Grayling? Meet the new Transport Secretary|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=17 December 2016}}</ref>

Grayling joined [[BBC News]] in 1985 as a trainee, becoming a producer in 1986. He left the BBC in 1988 to join [[Channel 4]] as an editor on its ''[[Business Daily (TV programme)|Business Daily]]'' television programme. He rejoined the BBC in 1991 as a business development manager on [[BBC Select (1992–1995)|BBC Select]]. On leaving the BBC again in 1993, he briefly joined Charterhouse Productions as managing director before leaving several months later as it was wound up for failing to pay VAT.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Armstrong |first=Ashley |date=3 August 2016 |title=BHS saga shows why files must be retained |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-daily-telegraph/20160803/282802125718600 |magazine=The Daily Telegraph |location=Print |access-date=6 March 2019 }}</ref> He ran several television production companies from late 1993, including managing the corporate communications division of Workhouse Ltd from 1992 to 1995 and [[Services Sound and Vision Corporation|SSVC Group]] in [[Gerrards Cross]] from 1995 to 1997.

Grayling became a public relations consultant in 1997 with [[Burson Marsteller]], where he remained until his election to [[House of Commons (UK)|Parliament]]. Prior to joining the Conservative Party, Grayling was a member of the [[Social Democratic Party (UK)|Social Democratic Party]] (SDP).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.libdemvoice.org/are-there-more-exsdp-members-on-the-tory-frontbench-than-the-lib-dem-frontbench-10833.html|title=Are there more ex-SDP members on the Tory front-bench than the Lib Dem front-bench?|publisher=Libdemvoice.org|date=30 January 2009|access-date=2 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001205656/http://www.libdemvoice.org/are-there-more-exsdp-members-on-the-tory-frontbench-than-the-lib-dem-frontbench-10833.html|archive-date=1 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>