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27-747: Anthony Perrinott Lysberg Barber, Baron Barber , TD , PC , DL (4 July 1920 – 16 December 2005) was a British Conservative politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1970 to 1974. After serving in both the Territorial Army and the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, Barber studied at Oxford and became a barrister. Elected as MP for Doncaster in 1951, Barber served in government under Harold Macmillan as Economic Secretary to

54-828: A solicitors' firm , but joined the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry shortly before the Second World War started. He was commissioned into the Territorial Army Royal Artillery in 1939 and served in France with a unit from Doncaster as part of the British Expeditionary Force . He was evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940, but later he became a pilot in the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit of

81-589: A Cabinet minister, as Minister of Health , in 1963, but lost his seat in the Commons in the 1964 general election to Labour's Harold Walker . His absence from Parliament was short-lived, as four months later he won a 1965 by-election in Altrincham and Sale caused by the elevation to the peerage of Frederick Erroll . In opposition, he led Ted Heath 's campaign to become Conservative party leader in 1965, and became party chairman in 1967. The Conservatives won

108-663: A Territorial Army officer it was officially known as Efficiency Decoration (Territorial), but it continued to be known informally as the Territorial Decoration and the recipient officially used the letters TD after their name. The Efficiency Decoration was itself replaced in 1999 by the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal , awarded to all ranks in all services. For members of the Honourable Artillery Company

135-567: A high level of lending, much of it to speculative property concerns. In his first Budget , in March 1971, he proposed to replace purchase tax and Selective Employment Tax with Value Added Tax , and also relaxed exchange controls ; both were prerequisites to membership of the EEC. VAT came into force in 1973 at a standard rate of 10%. A year later, the rate was cut to 8%. Barber also reduced direct taxes . High levels of economic growth followed, but

162-586: A memoir of his time in German captivity entitled Free As A Running Fox . Calnan was commissioned in the RAF on 19 December 1936. Calnan was shot down while flying a Spitfire on a photo-reconnaissance mission over France in December 1941. He gives some brief background about himself and his flying career with the RAF's No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit , but devotes most of the book to his escape attempts while

189-475: A period known as "The Barber Boom ". The measures in the budget led to high inflation and wage demands from Public Sector workers. He was forced to introduce anti-inflation measures on the 6 November 1972, along with a Price Commission and a Pay Board . 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

216-697: A prisoner, Barber took a law degree with first-class honours from the University of London , through the International Red Cross . On his return to England, he was awarded a state grant to Oxford University , where he took a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics in two years at Oriel College , and a scholarship to the Inner Temple . He then practised as a barrister from 1948, and specialised in taxation. From 1967 to 1970 he

243-410: Is a prominent figure throughout Calnan's book: Barber also wrote a brief foreword to this volume: "What has struck me most forcibly is how, after more than twenty years, he has recounted our adventures with such accuracy. He has managed to make a reality, once again, of the hopes and fears, the depression and the excitement which, for most of us who were there, now seems more like a dream." While still

270-613: The RAF . He ran out of fuel on a reconnaissance mission on 25 January 1942 and ditched near Mont St Jean, but was captured by the Germans . He was mentioned in dispatches for helping escapees from the prison camp at Stalag Luft III ; he himself once escaped as far as Denmark . His PoW experiences were recalled by his friend and fellow RAF pilot PoW Thomas D. Calnan who met Barber at Oflag IX-A/H at Spangenberg in February 1942: Barber

297-772: The Volunteer Officer's Decoration when the Territorial Force was formed on 1 April 1908, following the enactment of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 , (7 Edw.7, c.9) which was a large reorganisation of the old Volunteer Army and the remaining units of militia and Yeomanry . However, the Militia were transferred to the Special Reserve rather than becoming part of the Territorial Force . Recipients of this award are entitled to use

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324-460: The "Lysberg", and French grandmother, who contributed the "Perrinott". His father was company secretary and director of a Doncaster confectionery works. He had two brothers: Noel , who became a journalist and novelist, and Kenneth, who became company secretary of Midland Bank . Barber was educated at King Edward VI Grammar School in Retford , Nottinghamshire. He became an articled clerk in

351-711: The Prime Minister , Harold Macmillan from 1958 to 1959. He then served four years as a junior minister in the Treasury , Economic Secretary to the Treasury from 1959 to 1962, and, following the " Night of the Long Knives " on 13 July 1962, as Financial Secretary to the Treasury from 1962 to 1963 (under the Chancellorships of Derick Heathcoat Amory , Selwyn Lloyd and Reginald Maudling ). He became

378-520: The Treasury and Financial Secretary to the Treasury , before being appointed Minister of Health by Alec Douglas-Home in 1963. After losing his seat in 1964, he won the 1965 by-election in Altrincham and Sale and returned to Parliament. Barber was appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer by Edward Heath in 1970, and oversaw a major liberalisation of the banking system, replaced purchase tax and Selective Employment Tax with Value Added Tax , and also relaxed exchange controls . During his term

405-540: The economy and feeding industrial militancy (already at a high as a result of the struggle over the Industrial Relations Act 1971 ). In 1972, having said a week earlier in the House of Commons that he had "no reason to believe that the pound was overvalued", he floated it (most of the world currencies were floated at that time) "as a temporary measure". The pound immediately plunged on the markets, and it

432-550: The economy suffered due to stagflation and industrial unrest, including a miners strike which led to the Three-Day Week . In 1972 he delivered a budget which was designed to return the Conservatives to power in an election expected in 1974 or 1975. This budget led to a brief period of growth known as "The Barber Boom," followed by a wage-price spiral and high inflation, culminating in the 1976 sterling crisis . He

459-443: The election, Barber became the new Chancellor of the Exchequer , although he was initially reluctant to take the job. His appointment prompted Harold Wilson to remark that it was the first time that he had realised that Heath had a sense of humour. In line with the initial liberal instincts of Heath's 1970 government, he oversaw a major liberalisation of the banking system under the title of ' Competition and Credit Control ', leading to

486-687: The general election in 1970, and Barber held his seat until the general election of October 1974 , when he himself entered the House of Lords. After winning the election in 1970, Edward Heath appointed Barber as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and gave him the responsibility for negotiating the entry of the UK into the European Economic Community . However, following the sudden death of Iain Macleod on 20 July, only four weeks after

513-523: The letters "TD" after their name (post-nominal). The original criterion was for a minimum of 20 years service (subsequently reduced to 12 years service) in the Territorial Force and Territorial Army, with war service counting double and service in the ranks counting half. In 1930 the new Efficiency Decoration or ‘ED’ was introduced to be awarded to all three services. When the ED was awarded to

540-659: The ranks was the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal (1908–1921), the Territorial Efficiency Medal (1921–1930), and the Efficiency Medal (1930–1999). J M A Tamplin, The Territorial Decoration, 1908-1930 , (1983), (Spink: London) Thomas D. Calnan Thomas Daniel Calnan (16 December 1915 – 13 September 1981) was an English pilot and prisoner-of-war of World War II , who wrote

567-716: The ribbon differed, being a half blue, half scarlet ribbon, with yellow edges. This distinction was bestowed by King Edward VII for the Volunteer Long Service And Good Conduct Medal and the honour extended to the same medals under the Territorial designations. The HAC ribbon colours were the household colours of King Edward VII . Note that this medal is separate from the Territorial Force Imperial Service Badge . The equivalent award for

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594-567: The traditional capacity constraints of the British economy - especially currency and balance of trade concerns - quickly choked the economic boom. The banking system fell towards crisis as the bubble burst. 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

621-895: Was a member of the Franks Committee that investigated the Falklands War . In 1991, he became chair of the RAF Benevolent Association's appeal for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain , which raised £26 million. In 1950, Barber married Jean Asquith, who was also a Conservative parliamentary candidate in that year's election. They had two daughters and were married until her death in 1983. In 1989, he married Rosemary Youens. Barber suffered from Parkinson's disease in later years, and died from bronchopneumonia at Ipswich Hospital on 16 December 2005. Territorial Decoration This award superseded

648-602: Was chairman of Redfearn National Glass, with which his wife Jean's family was connected. Anthony Barber stood in Doncaster at the 1950 general election but lost by 878 votes. He contested the seat again at the 1951 general election , however, and beat the incumbent Labour Member of Parliament , Raymond Gunter by 384 votes. He held a series of offices: Parliamentary private secretary to George Ward (Under Secretary for Air) from 1952 to 1958; junior Government whip from 1955 to 1958; and Parliamentary Private Secretary to

675-464: Was forced to introduce anti-inflation measures, along with a Price Commission and a Pay Board . After the Conservatives lost the first general election of 1974, he did not stand in the second election of that year. Barber was born on 4 July 1920 in Kingston upon Hull . He was the third son of John Barber and his Danish wife, Musse. Barber's unusual middle names arose from his mother, who contributed

702-454: Was impossible during his time as Chancellor to impose a new parity. It has remained floating ever since. After a strike by the miners, and a Three-Day Week , Heath called for a general election on 28 February 1974 with the slogan "Who governs Britain?" The election returned a minority Labour government and Harold Wilson as Prime Minister. Barber did not seek re-election at the general election of October 1974, and left front-line politics. He

729-534: Was made a life peer on 6 January 1975 as Baron Barber of Wentbridge in West Yorkshire, and served as Chairman of Standard Chartered Bank from 1974 to 1987, where future Prime Minister John Major was his personal assistant. In 1987, he was appointed to be a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of West Yorkshire. Barber was also a director of BP from 1979 to 1988. He visited Nelson Mandela in prison, and

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