Norman Tebbit
Norman Beresford Tebbit, Baron Tebbit, CH, PC (born 29 March 1931) is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in the Cabinet from 1981 to 1987 as Secretary of State for Employment (1981–1983), Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1983–1985), and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Chairman of the Conservative Party (1985–1987). He was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1970 to 1992, representing the constituencies of Epping (1970–1974) and Chingford (1974–1992).
The Lord Tebbit | |
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Official portrait, 2020 | |
| Chairman of the Conservative Party | |
| In office 2 September 1985 – 13 June 1987 | |
| Leader | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | John Gummer |
| Succeeded by | Peter Brooke |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | |
| In office 2 September 1985 – 13 June 1987 | |
| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Gowrie |
| Succeeded by | Kenneth Clarke |
| Secretary of State for Trade and Industry President of the Board of Trade | |
| In office 16 October 1983 – 2 September 1985 | |
| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Cecil Parkinson |
| Succeeded by | Leon Brittan |
| Secretary of State for Employment | |
| In office 14 September 1981 – 16 October 1983 | |
| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Jim Prior |
| Succeeded by | Tom King |
| Minister of State for Industry | |
| In office 5 January 1981 – 14 September 1981 | |
| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | The Viscount Trenchard |
| Succeeded by | Norman Lamont |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade | |
| In office 4 May 1979 – 5 January 1981 | |
| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
| Preceded by | Michael Meacher |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Trefgarne |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
| In office 9 July 1992 – 31 March 2022 Life peerage | |
| Member of Parliament for Chingford Epping (1970 – Feb 1974) | |
| In office 18 June 1970 – 16 March 1992 | |
| Preceded by | Stan Newens |
| Succeeded by | Iain Duncan Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Norman Beresford Tebbit 29 March 1931 Ponders End, Middlesex, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence(s) | Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England |
| Occupation |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch/service | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1950-1956 |
| Rank | Flying Officer |
| Part of the politics series on |
| Thatcherism |
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In 1984, Tebbit was injured in the Provisional Irish Republican Army's bombing of the Grand Hotel in Brighton, where he was staying during the Conservative Party Conference. His wife Margaret was left permanently disabled after the explosion. He left the cabinet following the 1987 general election to care for his wife.
Tebbit considered standing for the Conservative leadership following Margaret Thatcher's resignation in 1990, but came to the decision not to stand as he had earlier made a commitment to his wife to retire from front-line politics. He did not stand for re-election as MP for Chingford in 1992, and was given a life peerage to sit in the House of Lords as Baron Tebbit, of Chingford. He retired from the House on 31 March 2022.