Shaun joined the BBC as a trainee journalist in 1990. He worked as a reporter and presenter on the local news programme Points West, before moving to London, where he was the BBC's political editor and presented the regional programme Around Westminster on BBC2. Five years ago, he joined the team of national political correspondents.

Although he's only been presenting regularly for Radio 4 since last year, Shaun has a connection with the network which goes back much further, one which until now he's kept quiet about: "Gathering dust in the archives are a couple of radio plays in which a pre-pubescent Ley was allowed near the microphone. In one my friend was hanged; in the other my character contracted TB. Early preparation, perhaps, for broadcasting bad news."

Shaun begins his morning listening to the Today programme as he walks into work. The programme team pore over the newspapers before deciding which stories they want to pursue. "It means that the hours before we go on air at one o'clock are very intensive. Interviews often have to be recorded with very little notice", Shaun says, "so I'm very dependent on the quality of the briefing by producers before the interview and afterwards on their skill in editing it down to the correct length. Fortunately for me, they're a really talented team."