Cameron and Osborne were dubbed the Conservatives' "Blair and Brown" in the run-up to the leadership election. The shadow chancellor stepped aside to give his friend a clear shot as the candidate of the younger generation. He is tipped to retain his current job of shadowing Gordon Brown.

The former shadow home secretary and shadow chancellor is like Mr Cameron an Old Etonian and has been one of his leading supporters among Tory MPs. After the election, Mr Letwin took the lower profile environment, food and rural affairs brief but could take a core policy role under Cameron's leadership.

Mr Gove only became an MP in May and is better-known as a columnist for the Times newspaper, whose Saturday edition he used to edit. A key advocate of modernising the Conservatives, Mr Gove is a close friend of Mr Cameron and seen as part of the "Notting Hill set" of young Tories.

Another "Notting Hillbilly", Mr Vaizey is another leading Cameron close ally among the new intake of MPs. After leaving university, he advised Cabinet ministers Ken Clarke and Michael Howard on employment and education issues. He practised as a barrister before becoming part owner and manager of a PR consultancy.

The carpets millionaire and Conservative peer has funded Mr Cameron's work as shadow education secretary and vowed to plough more money into the Tory party's coffers now.

Sir Ferdinand was head of the Downing Street Policy Unit during the Thatcher years and could provide advice to her successor as Tory leader. He is cousin to Mr Cameron's mother Mary.

Mr Eustice has been at Mr Cameron's side for much of the leadership campaign, shepherding him through a barrage of media interviews as his head of press. Mr Eustice previously directed the No Campaign, which opposed UK euro entry.

Godmother to Mr Cameron's first child, Ms Whetstone has been Michael Howard's political secretary and a powerful figure inside Conservative headquarters. Her influence could continue after the new leader.

Mr Hilton used to work for advertising firm M&C Saatchi and worked on Tory election ads in 1992 and 1997, including the infamous "demon eyes" poster depicting Tony Blair. He is godfather to the Camerons' first child and a leading campaign strategist.

The outgoing Tory leader has studiously kept neutral in the race to succeed him. But Mr Cameron used to work for him when Mr Howard was home secretary and more recently helped him prepare for prime minister's questions and can probably rely on Mr Howard for the advice of an old-hand.

The journalist and MP, famous for his turns on shows like Have I Got News For You, has trumpeted Mr Cameron's credentials in his role as editor of The Spectator magazine. Mr Johnson has signalled he would be ready to give up the editorship if he was offered a front bench post under the new leader.

Mr Llewellyn, a former school friend of Mr Cameron, is tipped by some newspapers to become the new leader's chief of staff. He is currently working for former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown, who is United Nations High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina.