Norman Lamont

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Norman Lamont (2013)

Norman Stewart Hughson Lamont, Baron Lamont of Lerwick (* 8. May 1942 in Lerwick , Shetland Islands , Scotland ) is a British politician of the Conservative Party .

biography

Lamont began his political career in 1972 with the election to the House of Commons , in which he represented the interests of the constituency of London-Suburb of Kingston-upon-Thames as a member of the Conservative Party . In 1975 he was one of the few Conservative MPs who publicly supported Margaret Thatcher as a candidate for Chair of the Conservative Party.

In recognition of this, she appointed him first in her shadow cabinet and later in her government on so-called "junior posts" after she became Prime Minister in 1979 . In 1986 he became Financial Secretary to the Treasury, ranking third within the Treasury. In 1989 he was named Chief Secretary (Chief Secretary) of the Treasury by Thatcher. As such, he not only ranked second in the Ministry after the Chancellor of the Exchequer , but also belonged to the Cabinet. During Margaret Thatcher's last year in office, he was also the closest associate of Chancellor John Major .

Few were therefore surprised that Major Lamont selected him as a manager for his successful five-day campaign as Chairman of the Conservatives in 1990 and then on November 28, 1990 awarded him the most important office in his cabinet - the office of Exchequer. With the introduction of its first annual government budget in March 1991 he showed boldness with his decision, the VAT (Value Added Tax) to raise from 15 to 17.5 percent, thereby the basis for the reduction of the so-called poll tax (poll tax) of 140  Pounds sterling per person. Coupled with the government's decision to abolish poll tax altogether in 1993, this move helped end the crisis caused by the Thatcher's most disastrous decisions. In 1993 he was followed by Kenneth Clarke as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

While the sterling crisis ( " Black Friday ") of 16 September 1992, the United Kingdom from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism drove (European Exchange Rate Mechanism, ERM), was Chancellor of the Exchequer Lamont and David Cameron his advisor. The European Monetary System prepared the common European currency (later called the euro ).

In the 1997 general election , Lamont lost his parliamentary mandate after 25 years. In 1998, Queen Elizabeth II appointed him as Baron Lamont of Lerwick , of Lerwick in the Shetland Islands, as a Life Peer . He has been a member of the House of Lords since then .

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