biography
| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1943– )
|
| biography:
| British statesman and prime minister (1990–7), born in London, UK. He had a career in banking before becoming Conservative MP for Huntingdonshire in 1979. He entered Margaret Thatcher's government as a junior minister in 1981, and rose to become Treasury chief secretary under Chancellor Nigel Lawson in 1987. Thereafter, having caught the eye of the prime minister, his progress was spectacular. In 1989 he replaced Sir Geoffrey Howe as foreign secretary, then the same year returned to the Treasury as Chancellor, when Lawson dramatically resigned. He remained loyal to Thatcher in the first round of the 1990 Conservative Party leadership election; then, when she stood down, and indicated that he was her preferred candidate, he ran successfully against Michael Heseltine and Douglas Hurd to become prime minister. He resigned as leader of the Conservative party after they lost the 1997 general election but remained active as an MP until he stepped down at the general election in 2001. He was made a Companion of Honour in 1998. His autobiography appeared in 1999. |
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