Nigel Lawson, 91, has died: tributes flood in for ex-Chancellor and Nigella Lawson’s father.
Senior Tories argue that Nigel Lawson, who served as Margaret Thatcher’s longest-serving Chancellor and died at age 91, should be honoured for his contributions to the UK economy by having a coin, think tank, or library named in his honour.
Lord Lawson, who served as Chancellor from 1983 to 1989, is the father of Dominic, a journalist, and TV chef Nigella Lawson, 63.
The Prime Minister stated on Twitter: “As Chancellor, one of the first things I did was place a portrait of Nigel Lawson above my desk.”He was a transformative Chancellor who inspired me and many others. At this time, my sympathies are with his family and friends.”
Boris Johnson also paid respect to Margaret Thatcher’s best man for the job, who only recently retired from politics after 50 years of service to the country.
The former Prime Minister complimented his former colleague as a “fearless tax cutter” and “prophet of Brexit.”
Between 1974 and 1992, he was the MP for Blaby and supported Brexit.
“Nigel Lawson was a fierce and original flame of free market Conservatism,” Boris Johnson remarked of the British political “giant.”
“He was a tax-cutting and simplifying figure who helped reshape the economic environment and enabled millions of British citizens to realize their ambitions.”
“He was a Brexit prophecy and a fan of continental Europe.” He was a colossus. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family.”
Lord Lawson was Chancellor for six years and five months, from 1983 to 1989, when he abruptly left the Cabinet amid acrimonious disagreements over Europe.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverley praised him as a “great statesman” whose “contributions to this country and people will not be forgotten.”
According to Conservative Chairman Greg Hands, the 91-year-old will be regarded for his “clarity of thought” and “willingness to challenge orthodoxies.”
Nigel Lawson, who died at 91, presided over the 1980s economic boom defining the Thatcher government.
As a reformist chancellor, he sought to lower taxation and boost growth, resulting in the country’s budget being surplus when he left office.
He was a driving force behind the privatization of several state-owned enterprises.
Later in life, his vocal attacks on the premise of artificial climatic changes sparked controversy.
Reforming chancellor Nigel Lawson died at the age of 91.
Nigel Lawson was born on March 11, 1932, in Hampstead, north London, into a non-orthodox Jewish family as the son of a tea merchant.
Gustav Leibson, his grandpa, immigrated from Latvia and became a British citizen in 1914. In June 1925, he anglicized his surname to Lawson.
Nigel followed his father’s legacy to Westminster School before attending Oxford and graduating with first-class honours in philosophy, politics, and economics.
After finishing his national service in the Royal Navy, he moved into journalism, where he captained a fast patrol boat.
He began writing the Lex column for the Financial Times before going to the Sunday Telegraph, where he later became City editor.
Lawson was appointed as the Spectator magazine editor in 1966. He took a rather liberal stance and opposed the Vietnam War. He also appeared frequently on BBC television as a pundit and interviewer.
He ran unsuccessfully for the Labour seat of Eton and Slough in the 1970 general election before being elected to Parliament in February 1974 as a member of the Tory stronghold of Blaby, now known as South Leicestershire.
Conflict over coal
Lawson placed himself on the opposite side after Ted Heath lost that election.
As a Conservative whip, he formed an odd coalition with Labour left-wingers Jeff Rooker and Audrey Wise to change the 1977 spending to index-link tax thresholds to prevent them from being eroded by the high inflation rates at the time.
Lawson was named financial secretary to the Treasury after Margaret Thatcher took over as Prime Minister in May 1979.
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