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Nigel Lawson: Reforming chancellor dies aged 91 Nigel Lawson: Reforming chancellor dies aged 91
(about 3 hours later)
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher applauding Nigel Lawson at the 1989 Conservative Party Conference
Former Conservative chancellor Nigel Lawson has died at the age of 91.Former Conservative chancellor Nigel Lawson has died at the age of 91.
Chancellor during the 1980s, Lord Lawson held several cabinet posts under Margaret Thatcher and served as Conservative MP for Blaby from 1974 to 1992. Holding several cabinet posts under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, he was seen as one of the most consequential of all post-war UK chancellors.
PM Rishi Sunak called Lord Lawson a "transformational chancellor and an inspiration to me and many others". Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called him an "inspiration to me and many others".
He is credited with creating powerful entrepreneurial forces in a decade also remembered by many communities around the UK as a time of widening inequality and painful deindustrialisation.
Lord Lawson is survived by six children, including Nigella Lawson, a food writer and celebrity cook.Lord Lawson is survived by six children, including Nigella Lawson, a food writer and celebrity cook.
Obituary: Nigel LawsonObituary: Nigel Lawson
The prime minister posted a picture of himself as chancellor with the caption: "One of the first things I did as chancellor was hang a picture of Nigel Lawson above my desk."The prime minister posted a picture of himself as chancellor with the caption: "One of the first things I did as chancellor was hang a picture of Nigel Lawson above my desk."
Former prime minister Boris Johnson also paid tribute to Lord Lawson, calling him "a fearless and original flame of free market Conservatism". Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson also paid tribute, calling Lawson a "fearless and original flame of free market Conservatism".
In a series of tweets, Mr Johnson praised him as "a tax-cutter and simplifier who helped transform the economic landscape and helped millions of British people achieve their dreams". In a series of tweets, Mr Johnson praised him as a "tax-cutter and simplifier who helped transform the economic landscape and helped millions of British people achieve their dreams".
He was also "a prophet of Brexit and a lover of continental Europe," he said. He had also been a "prophet of Brexit and a lover of continental Europe", he argued.
Liz Truss said Nigel Lawson was a "true giant of 20th century politics who as chancellor famously sought to abolish at least one tax at every Budget". Fellow former Prime Minister Liz Truss said Lawson had been a "true giant of 20th Century politics who as chancellor famously sought to abolish at least one tax at every Budget".
"His time at the helm of the Treasury was transformational," she said."His time at the helm of the Treasury was transformational," she said.
The Telegraph first reported his death and his family are yet to comment. The Telegraph first reported his death and his family are yet to comment.
Big beast Before entering politics, Lawson was a successful financial journalist and continued publishing regular articles in the Telegraph and Spectator until as recently as November last year.
Before entering politics, Nigel Lawson was a successful financial journalist - and continued publishing regular articles in the Telegraph and Spectator until as recently as November last year. He would go on to be one of the "big beasts" of Thatcher's cabinets, as well as serving as MP for the Blaby constituency from 1974 to 1992.
He would go on to be one of the "big beasts" of Margaret Thatcher's cabinet. Thatcher, who died in 2013, put him in charge of the Treasury in 1983, where he cut income tax, boosted share ownership and paid off government debt.
Mrs Thatcher put him in charge of the Treasury in 1983, where he cut income tax, boosted share ownership, and paid off government debt.
As chancellor he modernised London's financial markets, overseeing the UK financial sector's Big Bang, where deregulation of stock exchange membership and embracing electronic trading helped to establish London as a major global financial centre.As chancellor he modernised London's financial markets, overseeing the UK financial sector's Big Bang, where deregulation of stock exchange membership and embracing electronic trading helped to establish London as a major global financial centre.
The resulting economic growth was eventually named the Lawson Boom, after the chancellor the championed these changes. The resulting economic growth was eventually named the Lawson Boom, after the chancellor who had championed these changes.
His stewardship of the economy was credited with helping Mrs Thatcher win a third term. His stewardship of the economy was credited with helping Thatcher win a third term.
But lower taxes together with cheaper borrowing fuelled an unsustainable boom. Interest rates rose sharply and Britain went into recession.But lower taxes together with cheaper borrowing fuelled an unsustainable boom. Interest rates rose sharply and Britain went into recession.
During his tenure Mrs Thatcher called Nigel Lawson "unassailable", but he resigned in 1989, after falling out with her over Europe. During his tenure Thatcher called Lawson "unassailable", but he resigned in 1989, after falling out with her over Europe.
He stepped down as an MP at the 1992 election before entering the House of Lords as Lord Lawson of Blaby. He stepped down as an MP at the 1992 election before entering the House of Lords as Lord Lawson of Blaby, only retiring last December.
Lord Lawson used his platform to express scepticism of man-made climate change - and in 2016 became the chairman of Vote Leave - the group which led the campaign for the UK's exit from the European Union. Lawson used his platform in the Lords to express scepticism of man-made climate change.
Lord Lawson described Brexit as a "historic opportunity" to finish the job Mrs Thatcher had started. In 2016 he became the chairman of Vote Leave, the group which led the campaign for the UK's exit from the EU. He described Brexit as a "historic opportunity" to finish the job Thatcher had started.
In December 2022 he retired from the House of Lords. One of his most eye-catching recent political interventions was his backing of Mr Sunak over Ms Truss in last summer's Conservative leadership contest, when he said Ms Truss's tax-cutting plans were not in the Thatcherite tradition and would risk going back to the mistakes of the 1970s.
The financial market turmoil which followed the package of tax cuts announced in September's mini-budget will be cited by his admirers as evidence of the lasting quality of his economic judgement.
Related TopicsRelated Topics
Conservative PartyConservative Party
HM TreasuryHM Treasury
Margaret Thatcher