Retirement
After retiring from front-bench politics, Lawson decided, on his doctor's advice, to tackle his weight problem. He is 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) tall; he lost five stone (70 pounds, 30 kg) from 238 pounds (108 kg) to 168 pounds (76 kilograms) – (BMI 34 to 24) in a matter of a few months, dramatically changing his appearance, and went on to publish the best-selling "The Nigel Lawson Diet Book".
On 1 July 1992 he was given a life peerage as Baron Lawson of Blaby, of Newnham in the County of Northamptonshire.
In 1996, Lawson appeared on the BBC satirical and topical quiz show Have I Got News For You and, as a former Chancellor (regarded as one of the "big four" Government positions, qv. Great Offices of State) became something of a coup as the guest who had previously held the highest political office. He was, however, happy to go with the flow and take a mild amount of ribbing from the regulars as he was plugging his diet book at the time. He occasionally appears as a guest on his daughter Nigella's cookery shows.
Lord Lawson serves on the advisory board of the Conservative magazine Standpoint.
Read more about this topic: Nigel Lawson
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