Nigel Lawson dies – former Chancellor of the Exchequer at 91

Tax cuts, deregulation, privatization. It was characteristic Nigel Lawsons Political career, ending as Finance Minister 1983-1989, under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson Lawson calls it “a bold and original beacon of free-trade conservatism” and “a tax-less deregulation that helped transform the economic landscape.”

and the current British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says When he became Chancellor of the Exchequer in 2020, a portrait of Nigel Lawson hung over his desk.

Telecom and Gas Companies

Thatcher and her allies believed that selling off government activities would make society freer and more efficient. Beginning in the 70s, these ideas were developed in Great Britain and later spread to many countries, including Sweden.

Car brands such as Jaguar, infrastructure companies such as British Telecom and British Gas were potentially all sold in whole or in part.

These measures were hailed by some as necessary and profitable, but criticized by others as ill-conceived and foolish. After the days of Thatcher and Lawson in power, in the 90s, political selling apparently went too far.

At that time it was about, among other things, the postal service and the railways. But the discontent developed into a leftist wave that raised the social democratic “New Labour” with the leader. Tony Blair To hold power for more than a decade.

Nikella took over

At the time, Nigel Lawson was at odds with his boss Thatcher over, among other things, the pound’s relationship with the project that would later become the EU currency, the euro.

In his older days, Lawson moved further and further to the right politically as a member of the Upper House of Parliament. He was an early supporter of the country’s exit from the European Union, drawing criticism for opposing Brexit and environmental and climate work.

But at the time, the strongest focus in the family was taken by daughter Nigella, who became a global star from the late 90s through her cookbooks and television food shows. One of Nigel Lawson’s sons, Dominic is a well-known media personality in Great Britain.

Nigel Lawson died on Monday at the age of 91, according to British media.