People and Business: On the tiles

FORMER TORY ministers usually end up at oil companies, in my experience, but Michael Jack, the last financial secretary to the Treasury before the victory of New Labour, has just joined the board of Topps Tiles.

The recently floated group claims it is "the UK's largest specialist tile retailer" and operates a chain of warehouse-style tile stores.

Mr Jack survived the General Election massacre and is still Member of Parliament for Fylde in Lancashire, a seat he first took in 1987.

Before he entered politics Mr Jack started his business with Proctor & Gamble, which might prove of some use in his new role as a non-exec at Topps Tiles.

He may not be so keen to quote his subsequent experience working at Marks & Spencer, not the current retailing flavour of the month at all.