Britain's Top 10 Tories

1. David Cameron Prime minister-in-waiting, 43 tomorrow Apple-cheeked smoothie from stockbroking Berkshire village; attended local school (Eton) and local uni (Oxford). Late developer, royally well connected and married. Fast-tracked as Tory special adviser (1992-94), then a hard-nosed PR at Carlton TV. Won safe seat Witney in 2001 and never looked back: leader by 2005. Ambitious, hard-working, single-minded, crafty. Eurosceptic, pro-market. Pro-NHS stance credited to son Ivan, who died in February aged six. Education: Heatherdown preparatory school; Eton; Brasenose College, Oxford (1st in PPE, Bullingdon Club). Wealth: Denies £30m claim, but has great expectations. USP: Emotional intelligence. Achilles heel: Privilege. Photograph: Shaun Curry/AFP/Getty Images

2. George Osborne Shadow chancellor, 38 Acerbic, competitive combination of ancient title (he will become the 18th Sir George) and new money (from his father’s upmarket wallpaper firm, Osborne & Little). Stumbled into politics via Tory HQ and became Brown to Cameron’s Blair (ie cleverer). Succeeded Martin Bell as MP for Tatton (2001). Married to Frances, the writer-daughter of a former Thatcher minister, Lord Howell. Sociable, bookish, family oriented. Mistrusted by some as an over-confident metropolitan risk-taker. Education: Norland Place; St Paul’s; Magdalen College, Oxford (2:1 in modern history, Bullingdon Club). Wealth: Property plus family trust, £3-4m. USP: Hinterland. Achilles heel: His smirk. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

3. Boris Johnson London mayor, 45 Brilliant, chaotic, Rabelaisian author-columnist-TV-celeb with talent for ducking bullets. Not a Cameroon insider, but brand recognition makes him a threat. Mercurial rise to populist Spectator editorship; career swerve to Westminster (2001) stalled by gaffes; reinvented as mayor (2008). Likeable, funny, disorganised, ambitious. Needs staff to do spadework. Political lightweight. Education: Ashdown House; Eton; Balliol College, Oxford (President of Union, Bullingdon Club). Wealth: Self-generated income (£1-2m a year?) mostly from journalism, books and TV. USP: Natural blond. Achilles heel: Self-indulgence. Photograph: Richard Saker

4. Steve Hilton Director of strategy, 40 Bald, chunky, suit-and-tie-averse: sought to detoxify Tory brand. Son of Hungarian refugees (called Hircksac) who fled Soviet tanks in 1956. Met Cameron as a Chris Patten protege and Tory HQ staffer under John Major, liaised with Saatchi admen and credited with “demon eyes” attack on Blair (1997). Allegedly voted Green in 2001. Married to Google’s Rachel Whetstone. Notting Hill trendy. “Sneers” at activists, say critics. Education: Christ’s Hospital School, Horsham, Sussex (scholarship); Oxford (PPE). Wealth: No inheritance, but paid around £200,000 pa by Tories. USP: He’s not telling. Achilles heel: Plenty of enemies. Photograph: Martin Argles/Guardian

5. Andy Coulson Director of communications, 41 Street-smart Essex comprehensive boy turned Cameron’s linkman to ordinary voters since 2007, shortly after he resigned as editor of the News of the World over royal phone-hacking scandal. He denied all knowledge, as he did against wider Guardian allegations this year. Rapid career rise to Sun’s Bizarre column (1988) with Piers Morgan. Succeeded Rebekah Wade as NoW editor (2003). Tough, cool, menacing, low profile. Indispensible, but says he’ll go if Cameron wins. Education: Beauchamps comprehensive, Essex; University of Life. Wealth: unknown. USP: Knows his readers. Achilles heel: Past skulduggery? Photograph: Martin Argles/Guardian

6. William Hague Shadow foreign secretary, 48 Teenage political geek who over-reached himself as MP (1989), cabinet minister (1995) and Tory ex-leader by 2001. Now rebuilding his base as elder statesman while making money from consultancy, writing and speaking. Clever, witty, rightwing, Eurosceptic. More comfortable in his own skin now he’s older and married to Ffion. Only Cameroon with cabinet CV. Education: Wath comprehensive, Rotherham; Magdalen College, Oxford (1st in PPE, President of Union); MBA from Insead Business School, Paris. Wealth: £1m-a-year man in oppostion; family drinks firm. USP: Authentic Northern Tory. Achilles heel: Too hard. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

7. Michael Gove Shadow education minister, 42 Typical ultra-bright new generation Tory. Adopted child of Aberdeen fish merchant. Teenage Tory rejected by party HQ for not being Tory enough; turned to journalism (the Times, BBC) and policy wonkery. MP for Surrey Heath (2005). Less accident-prone than Oliver Letwin. Given free hand to develop radical education policies that offset Tory caution over NHS. Married to Times writer Sarah Vine. Moderniser. Talkative. Education: Robert Gordon’s College, Aberdeen; Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford (President of Union). Wealth: Two homes, journalism, MP’s salary. Nothing special. USP: Evidently sincere. Achilles heel: Thinks too much. Photograph: Jon Super/AP

7. Michael Ashcroft Deputy chairman, 63 Not a natural Cameroon or intimate of the leader like City insiders Michael Spencer and Stanley Fink. But Lord Ashcroft looms too large and (some say) sinister to ignore as strategist of marginal seats drive. Made his billion while based in the US and, controversially, Belize. An outsider. Even his tax status is clouded in mystery. Denies giving money (directly) to Tories, but wields huge clout at HQ. Approachable, cheerful, downmarket. Own jet. Education: Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe; Mid-Essex Technical College, Chelmsford. Wealth: At least £1bn. USP: Wealth. Achilles heel: Sinister image. Photograph: Jon Super/AP

Nick Boles Founder of Policy Exchange, the key Cameroon thinktank, 43 Radical, cerebral entrepreneur. Tory candidate in Grantham and Stamford, who heads Cameron’s implementation team, drawing up plans for government. Founded Longwall Holdings, a DIY supply firm; became Westminster councillor (1998-2002). Briefly ran Mayor Johnson’s office. Persuaded Cameron to make “heir to Blair” claim. Neo-con ties. Articulate. High-flyer. Education: Winchester College (scholarship); Magdalen College, Oxford (PPE); Kennedy School, Harvard. Wealth: Unknown. USP: Brave and a true believer. Achilles heel: Candid. Photograph: PR

10. Rebekah Brooks Chief executive, News International, 41 Ex-Sun and News of the World editor, whose flagship title’s defection from New Labour rocked last week’s conference. Cameroons are conspicuously light on female talent at the top and Brooks’s contacts may make her a pivotal, if conditional supporter. Smart and personable with dramatic Pre-Raphaelite red hair, now married to former racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks. Fiery temper, a player. Started in Fleet Street as NoW secretary. Education: Appleton Hall county grammar, Warrington. Wealth: Comfortable. USP: Tough, glamorous woman. Achilles heel: Tabloid target. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters