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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Tina Campbell

Nigella Lawson breaks silence following death of her politician father Nigel Lawson aged 91

Nigella Lawson has broken her social media silence following the death of her father Nigel Lawson aged 91 earlier this week.

Lord Lawson, whose political career spanned nearly five decades, served as part of Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet from 1981 to 1989, with six years as her tax-cutting chancellor, before retiring as a backbench MP in 1992 and joining the House of Lords.

He retired from politics altogether in December, with his last major contribution coming as a prominent leader of the Vote Leave campaign ahead of the Brexit referendum.

Acclaimed chef Nigella, 63, was one of Lord Lawson’s six children and one of four he had with his fifth wife, Vanessa Salmon. Ms Salmon was heiress to the J. Lyons and Co. fortune but tragically died aged 48 from liver cancer in 1985.

Taking to social media on Tuesday, The My Kitchen Rules judge, thanked fans for their support following his death on April 3.

She wrote: “Thank you for all your kind messages. And I’ll be back on here properly tomorrow.”

A number of people from the world of politics have paid tribute to the revered figured over the last couple of days, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Writing on Twitter, Mr Sunak said Lord Lawson “was a transformational chancellor and an inspiration to me and many others”.

Former PM Boris Johnson meanwhile hailed him as “a fearless and original flame of free-market Conservatism.”

“He was a tax-cutter and simplifier who helped transform the economic landscape and helped millions of British people achieve their dreams.

Johnson added: “He was a prophet of Brexit and a lover of continental Europe. He was a giant. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

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