Nigel Lawson Biography: Photos, Wiki, Facebook, Parents, Death, Wife, Children

Nigel Lawson was a prominent and well-known figure in British politics and journalism who played a key role in shaping the economic and social policies of the Thatcher era.

He was Chancellor of the Exchequer for six years, overseeing a period of unprecedented growth but also rising inequality and instability.

He is also a passionate writer and commentator who expresses his views on a variety of topics, from European integration to climate change.

He is the father of six children, one of whom is famous chef and television personality Nigella Lawson.

File

  • Full name: Nigel Lawson, Baron Lawson of Blaby
  • Date of birth: March 11, 1932
  • Age: 91 years old (at the time of death)
  • male
  • Place of birth: Hampstead, London, England
  • British nationality
  • Profession: Politician, journalist, author, broadcaster
  • Height: 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
  • Parents: Ralph Lawson and Joan Elisa Davis
  • Siblings: Not applicable
  • Spouse: Vanessa Salmon (d. 1955; div. 1980), Therese Maclear (d. 1980; div. 2019)
  • Children: Dominic, Thomasina, Nigella, Horatia, Tom and Emily
  • Relationship status: Divorced
  • Net worth: £10 million

Early Life & Education

Nigel Lawson, who will be 91 years old when he dies in 2023, was born on March 11, 1932 in Hampstead, London.

He was the only child of Ralph Lawson, a wealthy Jewish businessman who owned a textile company, and Joan Elisa Davis, a nurse and social worker. He grew up in a comfortable and cultured environment, surrounded by books and art.

He attended a number of private schools, including Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, where he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

He graduated with honors in 1953 and won a scholarship to Harvard University, where he spent a year as a research fellow.

Personal life

Nigel Lawson married twice and had six children from his first marriage. He met his first wife, Vanessa Salmon, heiress to the Lyons Corner House empire in Oxford.

They married in 1955 and had four daughters and two sons. Their eldest daughter, Thomasina, died of breast cancer in 1993 at the age of 32.

Their second daughter, Nigella, became a famous food writer and television chef, who inherited her mother’s culinary skills and her father’s flair for communication.

Their other children also pursued successful careers in fields as diverse as journalism, law and finance. Lawson and Salmon divorced in 1980, after 25 years of marriage, amid rumors of his infidelity.

He married his second wife, Therese Maclear, a former secretary of the Financial Times, in 1980.

They have no children together and separated in 2019 after 39 years of marriage.

Lawson believes that irreconcilable differences were the cause of their divorce. He also revealed that he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2017 and that he has been living in a care home since 2020.

Career

Nigel Lawson began his career as a journalist, working for various newspapers and magazines such as The Sunday Telegraph, The Spectator, The Financial Times and The Economist.

He was known as an astute and insightful commentator on economic and political issues, and a strong critic of the Labor governments of the 1960s and 1970s.

He also wrote several books on economics, such as The View from No. 11: Memoirs of a Tory Radical (1992), detailing his experiences as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

He entered politics in 1974 when he was elected as Conservative MP for Blaby, a constituency in Leicestershire.

He quickly rose through the party ranks, becoming Finance Minister of the Treasury in 1979, Minister of Energy in 1981 and Minister of Finance in 1983.

He was one of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s closest allies and supporters, who shared his vision of transforming Britain into a more market-oriented and entrepreneurial society.

He was a key architect of Thatcher’s policies of privatisation, deregulation, tax cuts and monetarism, which aimed to reduce the role of the state and increase efficiency and competitiveness. economic competition.

He oversaw the sales of state-owned industries such as British Telecom, British Gas and British Airways, which generated billions of pounds in revenue and created millions of new shareholders.

He also reduced the top income tax rate from 60% to 40% and the base tax rate from 30% to 25%, boosting the income and motivation of workers and businesses.

He also introduced the Community Charge, or Poll Tax, which replaced the property-based pricing system with a flat fee for every adult resident, regardless of income or wealth. He claimed this would make local authorities more responsible and accountable for their spending.

He is widely praised for managing the economy to rapid growth, low inflation and rising living standards in the mid-1980s, known as the Lawson Boom.

However, he also faced criticism for causing a housing bubble, widening the trade deficit and increasing public debt.

He was accused of being too complacent and overconfident about the economic situation and ignoring warning signs of an impending recession.

He was also involved in a series of disputes with Thatcher and her economic adviser, Alan Walters, over Britain’s membership of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM), which linked the British pound to other European currencies.

Lawson supports joining the ERM because he believes it will help control inflation and promote closer cooperation with the European Community. On the other hand, Thatcher was skeptical about the possibility of deeper European integration and wanted to keep the British pound unaffected by external constraints.

Lawson felt that he had lost the authority and autonomy to run the Treasury and that Walters was undermining his policies.

After a heated row with Thatcher, he resigned from the Cabinet in October 1989. His resignation was seen as a major blow to Thatcher’s leadership and a sign of growing division. increase in the Conservative Party.

After leaving politics, Lawson became a journalist, author and broadcaster. He has written several books on economics, politics, and climate change, such as An Appeal to Reason: A Cool Look at Global Warming (2008), which challenges the scientific consensus on climate change. and oppose policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

He also founded and chairs the Global Warming Policy Foundation. The think tank has promoted a skeptical and contrarian view of climate change, while advocating a more balanced and rational approach to environmental issues.

He also appears regularly on radio and television programmes, such as Question Time, The Andrew Marr Show and Today, where he expresses his opinions on a variety of topics. ranging from Brexit to Bitcoin.

Death

Nigel Lawson died in a nursing home in London on December 6, 2023, at the age of 91. He had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for several years and had lived in a nursing home since 2020. He is survived by five children, 12 grandchildren and one grandchild. wonderful grandchild.

His funeral was held on 13 December 2023, at Westminster Abbey, where he was buried in Poets’ Corner next to his favorite poet, John Betjeman.

He was honored by the Prime Minister, the Queen and other dignitaries who paid tribute to his legacy and achievements. He is also remembered by friends, colleagues and admirers who praise his intelligence, courage and humor.

Argumentative

Nigel Lawson is a controversial figure in British politics and society who has provoked strong reactions from his supporters and opponents.

Many people admire him for his economic reforms that helped revive the British economy and create a more dynamic and prosperous society.

He was also respected for his intellectual rigor, eloquence, and independent thinking. However, many critics criticize his economic policies, which contribute to social and regional inequality, financial viability and environmental education that have plagued Britain. in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

He has also been denounced for his views on climate change, which are considered irresponsible, ignorant and dangerous by the scientific community and the environmental movement.

He was also accused of being arrogant, dogmatic, stubborn, and having strained relationships with his family and colleagues.

Social Media

  • Twitter name: Not applicable
  • Instagram handle name: Not applicable

Net value

Nigel Lawson has an estimated net worth of £10 million. He accumulated wealth from his career as a politician, journalist, author and broadcaster, as well as from his investments and inheritance.

He also received a generous pension and a lifetime pension from the government, which gave him a seat in the House of Commons and an annual pension of £300 per day.

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