Would-be Tory MP Rory Stewart

Rory Stewart, Deputy Governorate Co-ordinator of Maysan province, Iraq. He was just 30 years old when he took the posting in southern Iraq. Photograph: Dan Chung/guardian.co.uk

Rory Stewart, Deputy Governor, visits a tribal Sheikh in a Marsh Arab village near Amara, Iraq Photograph: Dan Chung/guardian.co.uk

Rory Stewart, author of Occupational Hazards: My Time Governing In Iraq, 2006 Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Rory Stewart with George Osborne MP at The Guardian Hay Festival 2008 in Hay on Wye Photograph: Jeff Morgan Hay on Wye /guardian.co.uk

Rory Stewart, Conservative prospective Parliamentary candidate for Penrith and the Borders, in his cottage in Dufton, Cumbria Photograph: Christopher Thomond/guardian.co.uk

Rory Stewart walking in his prospective constituency in Penrith and the Borders Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Rory Stewart walking in the constituency of Penrith and the Borders Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Rory Stewart walks around the Cumbrian seat he hopes to win Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Rory Stewart, Conservative prospective Parliamentary candidate for Penrith and the Borders Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Rory Stewart outside his cottage in Dufton, Cumbria Photograph: guardian.co.uk