Ex Chancellor of the Exchequer, author and columnist.

Lord Lamont (Norman Lamont) was at the centre of British politics for many years. He was a Cabinet Minister under both Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and was a member of the House of Commons for twenty-five years. He was heavily involved in the Thatcher reforms including privatisation that transformed the British economy. He was a Minister also in the Departments of Energy, Defence and Industry.

Norman Lamont was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1990-1993 and introduced three Budgets. He inherited the policy of membership of the ERM, which made it a difficult and controversial time to be Chancellor.

Despite the many criticisms at the time, today economists have praised the regime of inflation targeting and the fiscal tightening he put in place after Britain's exit from the ERM. Sir Alan Waiters, economic advisor to Lady Thatcher, and Bernard Connolly, in a letter to the Times described Lord Lamont in his "post ERM phase".... "to be not only the most effective but also the bravest Chancellor since the war".

A recent study by Ruth Lea at the Centre for Policy Studies ("Whatever happened to the Golden Legacy?”) concluded that the low inflation and economic stability enjoyed today were based on "pathbreaking" reforms introduced by Norman Lamont.

In 1998 Norman Lamont published a self-deprecating and amusing account of his time as Chancellor under the title "In Office". His book was described in the Independent newspaper as "Out of the top drawer of political memoirs".

Today Norman Lamont is a strong vocal opponent of further European integration and of Britain joining the Euro. He is co- Chairman of the Eurosceptic Bruges Group.

Currently Lord Lamont, as well as being a working Peer, is a director of, and a consultant to a number of companies in the financial sector. He is a director of RAB Capital (a hedge fund company), Scottish Re (a reinvestment company quoted on the New York Stock Exchange), Balli plc (a commodities trading house), and he is an adviser to Rotch Property. He is also Chairman of the East European Food Fund and a director of a number of investment funds.

Prior to becoming a MP Norman Lamont was an Investment Banker with N M Rothschild and Sons.

He was made a Life Peer in July 1998, and sits on the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee.