MP at work: Beaconsfield MP Dominic Grieve talks about life inside the Shadow Cabinet.

BEACONSFIELD'S MP, Dominic Grieve, has been a busy man over the last 18 months.

Rising through the ranks of the Tory Party, with his personal appointment by leader Michael Howard, he has come to the front of the Shadow Cabinet and speaks for the party on legal issues, law and order in parliament and to the media.

He is also in charge of ensuring black and ethnic minorities are represented in the Conservative candidates.

The Tories as a whole have 41 candidates from ethnic minorities, the biggest out of all the parties in this election.

Although not spending as much time in Beaconsfield as he used to, Dominic returns to the area on Thursday evenings for regular surgeries and events in Buckinghamshire. He has a cottage in the town.

He said: "This is a safe seat but people still expect to see the candidate out and about.

"It is difficult. You can't see everyone that is impossible but it is important to get out there."

He added: "I usually see about ten people on a Friday morning in the surgery, I also make visits to schools, fetes and clubs."

His family often join him in Beaconsfield and then travel back to London on Sunday.

He said: "I often say to my wife that we spend most of our weekends on the M25."

His former career as a barrister made him perfect material to take on the role of Shadow Attorney-General and with the responsibility of advising the opposition on every aspect of legal policy, and even colleagues on legal issues, a lot of responsibility lays on the shoulders of Beaconsfield's MP.

His higher profile role has taken him away from Buckinghamshire on the campaign trail this year. He has been involved with the national Tory movement as a member of the shadow cabinet travelling from the south to the north supporting his party and speaking on his key subject, law.

The fight in the commons against the Anti-Terrorism Bill was a highlight for the MP.

He said: "It was very interesting, the fact that the Government tried to bulldoze it through parliament. We had well over 24 hours of continuous sitting of Parliament. It went on for about two-and-a-half weeks, it was very dramatic."

He added: "For once people were really interested. It was definitely the most dramatic and interesting thing that has happened in the last 18 months."

Dominic Grieve describes a typical day in the life of the Shadow Attorney-General. Starting at 6am and ending whenever.

6am
The alarm goes off and it's all go in the Grieve household.

He said: "I always start my day in my London house with the family. I walk one of my boys to school, we are all up and out by around 8am."

8.45am
The MP arrives at the House of Commons. He said: "The first thing I do is go in and have a coffee and two poached eggs on toast in the members tea room. Then I meet with my secretary."

9am-11.30am
Dominic, his researcher and secretary go through all the correspondence that has arrived that day. He's clocking around 150 letters a week.

Dominic said: "I try to answer all that need answering personally, but it is getting difficult as more legal things come in so some are dealt with by my staff. I advise the party and colleagues on all legal things. If the party wants to put out a new policy they come to me for legal advice.

11.30am
A home affairs team meeting. He said: "There are usually 25 people in these meetings these are quite big meetings. We discuss what are the key issues for the day."

1pm
Lunch time is usually in the tea room and there may be some lunch events, but not often.

2pm
Dominic said: "Attorney-General Questions are on once a month, where I ask questions of the Solicitor General.

"In the afternoon the debates take place, whether I am there or not depends on if I am involved."

He added: "If I am lead speaker for the opposition I will be there for the rest of the day."

Standing Committees and meetings also take up the afternoons.

Debates can go on until the early hours of the morning, especially if there are votes to be taken.

8pm
Back to the office to tie up any loose ends from the day. Except for Thursdays when Dominic gets home in time for the only family dinner of the week.

10pm
Out for dinner with colleagues or back home to see his wife and two children.

He said: "If I am lucky my wife has not gone to bed, she usually has. I get home, watch a bit of Newsnight and enjoy a whiskey at the end of a long day."