Lord Lamont

Politician and former MP

Lord Lamont is a politician and former MP who held a number of cabinet positions in Margaret Thatcher and John Major's Conservative administrations. After managing John Major's successful leadership campaign, he was made Chancellor of the Exchequer – a position he held from 1990 to 1993 – during which time Britain was forced out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism on a day commonly referred to as "Black Wednesday". In 1998 he was elevated to the House of Lords with the title Lord Lamont of Lerwick. He is a well-known Euro-sceptic and helped negotiate the opt-outs in the Maastricht Treaty.

Before embarking on a career in politics, Lamont worked for a short time at N M Rothschild & Sons and as Director of Rothschild Asset Management. He is currently a Director of RAB Capital and Balli Group plc, and an Advisor to Rotch Property Group. He began his career in 1972, becoming MP for Kingston-upon-Thames. He held this position untill 1997, when his constituency was split up and he lost the candicacy contest for the newly created Kingston and Surbiton seat.