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| As director-general of fair trading in the 1980s and early 90s, Lord Borrie, who has died aged 85, was a key player in Margaret Thatcher’s attempts to attack cartels and make markets more competitive. However, his own political allegiance was with the left, and he was subsequently involved in Tony Blair’s New Labour project, becoming a Labour peer in 1995. He went on to supervise the advertising industry as chairman of the Advertising Standards Authority. | As director-general of fair trading in the 1980s and early 90s, Lord Borrie, who has died aged 85, was a key player in Margaret Thatcher’s attempts to attack cartels and make markets more competitive. However, his own political allegiance was with the left, and he was subsequently involved in Tony Blair’s New Labour project, becoming a Labour peer in 1995. He went on to supervise the advertising industry as chairman of the Advertising Standards Authority. |
| Borrie’s main impact lay in attacking cosy clubs that excluded outsiders and left the public paying more than they should for goods or services. His targets while at the Office of Fair Trading included the London Stock Exchange, the beer industry, estate agents and car dealers. But while he managed to stimulate change in such bastions of conservatism, the result was not always welcomed – beer prices rose rapidly after the “tie” between brewers and pubs was broken, while British firms on the stock exchange were soon swallowed by US and continental rivals. In confronting the City establishment by complaining that stock market practices restricted competition, he eventually ushered in the “Big Bang” deregulation that transformed London’s financial markets in the late 1980s. | Borrie’s main impact lay in attacking cosy clubs that excluded outsiders and left the public paying more than they should for goods or services. His targets while at the Office of Fair Trading included the London Stock Exchange, the beer industry, estate agents and car dealers. But while he managed to stimulate change in such bastions of conservatism, the result was not always welcomed – beer prices rose rapidly after the “tie” between brewers and pubs was broken, while British firms on the stock exchange were soon swallowed by US and continental rivals. In confronting the City establishment by complaining that stock market practices restricted competition, he eventually ushered in the “Big Bang” deregulation that transformed London’s financial markets in the late 1980s. |
| Towards the end of his 16-year spell in office he became impatient with the constraints on his powers, and keen to move into the private sector. But he was enticed into the Labour fold, becoming a member of the Commission on Social Justice, which formulated the New Labour approach to social and economic policy in the mid-1990s. He also advised on competition policy, resulting in the creation of the Competition Commission after Labour came to power in 1997. | Towards the end of his 16-year spell in office he became impatient with the constraints on his powers, and keen to move into the private sector. But he was enticed into the Labour fold, becoming a member of the Commission on Social Justice, which formulated the New Labour approach to social and economic policy in the mid-1990s. He also advised on competition policy, resulting in the creation of the Competition Commission after Labour came to power in 1997. |
| Born in Croydon, Gordon was one of five children of Alice and Stanley Borrie, a City solicitor. The family moved to north Wales at the start of the second world war, where Gordon went to John Bright grammar school in Llandudno. A bright student, he went to Manchester University at the age of 16 to study law. By that time he had developed a taste for politics and public speaking, sparked partly by Labour’s successful 1945 election campaign, which he followed enthusiastically. | Born in Croydon, Gordon was one of five children of Alice and Stanley Borrie, a City solicitor. The family moved to north Wales at the start of the second world war, where Gordon went to John Bright grammar school in Llandudno. A bright student, he went to Manchester University at the age of 16 to study law. By that time he had developed a taste for politics and public speaking, sparked partly by Labour’s successful 1945 election campaign, which he followed enthusiastically. |
| At university he became chairman of the Labour club and, after graduation and national service in Korea, Labour candidate for Croydon Northeast at the age of only 23. He was defeated in the 1955 general election and four years later stood in Ilford South, again unsuccessfully. That was the end of his dalliance with parliament until he became a peer. His relationship with Labour was dormant for so many years not only because of his position as a senior civil servant, but also because of the party’s lurch to the left in the 1970s and 80s. | At university he became chairman of the Labour club and, after graduation and national service in Korea, Labour candidate for Croydon Northeast at the age of only 23. He was defeated in the 1955 general election and four years later stood in Ilford South, again unsuccessfully. That was the end of his dalliance with parliament until he became a peer. His relationship with Labour was dormant for so many years not only because of his position as a senior civil servant, but also because of the party’s lurch to the left in the 1970s and 80s. |
| Borrie practised as a barrister for a few years after leaving university, but abandoned that in 1957 to become a lecturer, and published several books on the consumer and the law. Initially he worked at the Law Society’s College of Law, but moved to Birmingham University in 1965. He was made professor of English law in 1968 and stayed at the university until he was appointed director general of the OFT in 1976. | Borrie practised as a barrister for a few years after leaving university, but abandoned that in 1957 to become a lecturer, and published several books on the consumer and the law. Initially he worked at the Law Society’s College of Law, but moved to Birmingham University in 1965. He was made professor of English law in 1968 and stayed at the university until he was appointed director general of the OFT in 1976. |
| During this time he became a leading expert and author on consumer and competition law, and spent three years on the council of the Consumers’ Association in the 1970s. His job at the OFT was to identify, and tell ministers how to rectify, anti-competitive business and commercial practices. | During this time he became a leading expert and author on consumer and competition law, and spent three years on the council of the Consumers’ Association in the 1970s. His job at the OFT was to identify, and tell ministers how to rectify, anti-competitive business and commercial practices. |
| This included advising on whether controversial takeovers should be investigated by the Monopolies Commission, which put him occasionally in the spotlight, especially during the long-running battle between Tiny Rowland and Mohamed Al Fayed for control of Harrods. | This included advising on whether controversial takeovers should be investigated by the Monopolies Commission, which put him occasionally in the spotlight, especially during the long-running battle between Tiny Rowland and Mohamed Al Fayed for control of Harrods. |
| He demonstrated objectivity, persistence, charm and no little political skill in repeatedly challenging powerful industries such as beer and cement. However he had only limited success in attacking the protectionism of the professions, notably that of his own, law, although towards the end of his career he chaired the accountancy profession’s then supervisory body, the Accountancy Foundation. Thatcher gave him a knighthood in 1982, and he was made a QC in 1986. | He demonstrated objectivity, persistence, charm and no little political skill in repeatedly challenging powerful industries such as beer and cement. However he had only limited success in attacking the protectionism of the professions, notably that of his own, law, although towards the end of his career he chaired the accountancy profession’s then supervisory body, the Accountancy Foundation. Thatcher gave him a knighthood in 1982, and he was made a QC in 1986. |
| After leaving the OFT, Borrie was a non-executive director of several companies, including the Woolwich Building Society, Mirror Group and the cable company Telewest. He continued to be active in public life well into his 70s, chairing the Advertising Standards Authority from 2001 until 2007 and serving on several other boards as well as being an active Labour peer. | After leaving the OFT, Borrie was a non-executive director of several companies, including the Woolwich Building Society, Mirror Group and the cable company Telewest. He continued to be active in public life well into his 70s, chairing the Advertising Standards Authority from 2001 until 2007 and serving on several other boards as well as being an active Labour peer. |
| He married Dorene (nee Toland) in 1960. She died in 2010. | He married Dorene (nee Toland) in 1960. She died in 2010. |
| • Gordon Johnson Borrie, Lord Borrie, lawyer and businessman, born 13 March 1931, died 30 September 2016 | • Gordon Johnson Borrie, Lord Borrie, lawyer and businessman, born 13 March 1931, died 30 September 2016 |