Peter Lilley
Peter Bruce Lilley, Baron Lilley, PC (born 23 August 1943) is a British politician and life peer who served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major. A member of the Conservative Party, he was Member of Parliament (MP) Hitchin and Harpenden from 1997 to 2017 and, prior to boundary changes, St Albans from 1983.
The Lord Lilley | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Official portrait, 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 2 June 1998 – 15 June 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader | William Hague | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Michael Heseltine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Michael Ancram | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Secretary of State for Social Security | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 11 April 1992 – 2 May 1997 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | John Major | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Tony Newton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Harriet Harman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Secretary of State for Trade and Industry President of the Board of Trade | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 14 July 1990 – 11 April 1992 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher John Major | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Nicholas Ridley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Michael Heseltine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 23 August 1943 Hayes, Kent, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Conservative | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Gail Ansell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Clare College, Cambridge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born in Kent, Lilley studied economics at Clare College, Cambridge. He served as Trade and Industry Secretary from July 1990 to April 1992. As Social Security Secretary from April 1992 to May 1997, he introduced Incapacity Benefit.
On 26 April 2017, he announced his retirement as an MP. He has been a long-term critic of the European Union and backed Brexit in the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum. Lilley has since been supportive of the Eurosceptic pressure group Leave Means Leave. In May 2018, he was nominated for a peerage in the House of Lords.