Shaun Bailey was born on the West Kensington Estate, London, in 1971, and grew up in a single-parent environment. He went to school at the local Henry Compton Secondary, followed by Paddington College, throughout which he practiced gymnastics, and trained with the Army Cadet Force, an experience he credits with helping him through the difficulties of life in such an area.

Throughout his childhood, he watched many of those he knew fall victim to the vicious cycle of drugs, poverty and disillusion, which has helped shape his outlook on politics and the problems faced by our society.

He went to University in London, gaining a degree in Computer Engineering, having worked as a security guard to finance his studies. After graduating, Shaun worked in drug-prevention, before founding his charity, My Generation, whose aim it is to allay the social problems faced by young people growing up in the Area. In addition to this, Shaun held the position of Chairman of Trustees at the Pepper Pot Day Centre until 2009.

Shaun entered Politics in 2005, by publishing a paper on solving the social crisis for the Centre for Policy Studies, of which he is a Research Fellow. He was chosen as the Conservative Party Candidate for Hammersmith by open primary, and narrowly lost out on election to Parliament in 2010, in a difficult race. Since then, Shaun has taken on a position in Downing Street as Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Youth and Crime, working to help shape the Governmental agenda, in addition to his role as a Big Society Ambassador.

Shaun also writes regularly for various media outlets including The Sun, The London Evening Standard, The Times, The Guardian and The Independent, as well as appearing often on Newsnight, Question Time, and Sky News, where he held a regular paper review slot until 2010.