After Dinner Speakers: Rt Hon Lord Lamont, Robert Youngjohns, Bill Bradley

Norman Lamont has been at the centre of British politics for many years. After his education at Loretta School he went to Cambridge University where he began his political career by taking on the chairmanship of the Cambridge University Conservative Association, and a year later he was elected President of the Cambridge Union. He worked in the Conservative Research Department for two years before joining the merchant bank N.M. Rothschild and Sons, where he became a director. In 1972 he became the Member of Parliament for Kingston upon Thames, a seat he held until his retirement from the House of Commons in 1997. He soon rose through the ranks to become a Cabinet Minister under Margaret Thatcher and John Major. He was heavily involved in the Thatcher reforms (including privatisation) which transformed the British economy. He was John Major’s campaign manager when he became Prime Minister in 1990, and was then Chancellor of the Exchequer between 1990 and 1993, during which time he introduced three Budgets. These were difficult and controversial times when the country was in the grip of a deep recession, and Britain left the ERM on “Black Wednesday”. Many commentators consider that the foundations of our present economic prosperity were laid at that time with the tough and difficult decisions that Norman Lamont made as Chancellor. His publications include “Sovereign Britain” in 1995 and his self-deprecating and amusing account of his time as Chancellor under the title “In Office” in 1999. This book was described in the Independent newspaper as “out of the top drawer of political memoirs”. Norman Lamont was created a Life Peer in July 1998. He is currently a director of Balli Group plc, Banca Commercial Robank, amongst a number of other financial companies, and Chairman of the East European Food Fund. From 1997 to 1998 he was an adviser to the Romanian government on economic reform and privatisation. He is a frequent commentator in the press on globalisation, regulation, Russia, as well as the economy, finance, politics, and the Euro, of which he is a fierce critic. He has written widely for national and international newspapers. Lord Lamont’s other interests include the theatre, books and ornithology. He has a reputation as a witty raconteur and after dinner speaker.