Anthony Barber

Anthony Perrinott Lysberg Barber, Baron Barber, PC (born 4 July 1920), is a Conservative member of the House of Lords. He was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer by Edward Heath in 1970.

Related Topics:
4 July - 1920 - Conservative - House of Lords - Chancellor of the Exchequer - Edward Heath - 1970

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Barber's father was secretary-director of a Doncaster works. He served in France during World War II with a Doncaster Territorial unit and was at Dunkirk. Later he became a RAF pilot and was captured by the Germans. He was mentioned in dispatches for helping escapes from the prison camp. While still a prisoner, he took a law degree with first-class honours through the International Red Cross. On his return to England, he was awarded a state grant to Oxford University and a scholarship to the Inner Temple. He then practised as a barrister.

Related Topics:
Doncaster - World War II - Dunkirk - RAF - Germans - International Red Cross - England - Oxford University - Inner Temple

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Tony Barber stood in Doncaster at the 1950 election but lost by 878 votes. At the 1951 election, however, Barber beat the incumbent Labour Member of Parliament by 384 votes.

Related Topics:
1950 election - 1951 election - Labour - Member of Parliament

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He became Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1970 following the sudden death of Iain Macleod. In line with the, initial, liberal, instincts of Edward Heath's 1970 government, he oversaw a major liberalisation of the banking system, leading to a high level of lending, much of it to speculative property concerns.

Related Topics:
Chancellor of the Exchequer - 1970 - Iain Macleod - Edward Heath - Speculative

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

High levels of economic growth followed, but the traditional capacity constraints of the British economy - especially currency and defecit of trade concerns - quickly choked the economic boom. The banking system fell towards crisis as the bubble burst.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The inflation of capital asset values was also followed by the 1973 oil crisis which followed the Yom Kippur War, adding to inflationary pressures in the economy and feeding industrial militancy (already at a high as a result of the struggle over the Industrial Relations Act).

Related Topics:
1973 - Oil crisis - Yom Kippur War - Industrial Relations Act

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

During his term the economy suffered due to stagflation and industrial unrest. In 1972, he delivered a budget which was designed to return the Conservative Party to power in an election expected in 1974 or 1975. This budget led to a period known as "The Barber Boom". The measures in the budget led to high inflation and wage demands from Public Sector workers.

Related Topics:
Stagflation - 1974 - 1975

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In late 1973, Arthur Scargill a high ranking Union official led the Coal Miners out on strike. This strike led the country to an energy crisis and forced Prime Minister Edward Heath to declare a state of emergency (the first since the end of World War II) and a three day week in the use of electricity.

Related Topics:
Arthur Scargill - Edward Heath - World War II - Electricity

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In January 1974, Heath called for a General Election on February 28, 1974 asking "Who Rules"? The public voted against Heath and returned a minority Labour Government and Harold Wilson as Prime Minister.

Related Topics:
1974 - February 28 - Harold Wilson

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Anthony Barber was made a Life Peer in 1974 and served as Chairman of Standard Chartered Bank from that year until 1987.

Related Topics:
Life Peer - Standard Chartered Bank - 1987

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~