James Prior, Baron Prior

Who is James Prior, Baron Prior?

James Michael Leathes Prior, Baron Prior, PC, known as "Jim Prior", is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he was a member of parliament from 1959 to 1987, representing the constituency of Lowestoft from 1959 to 1983 and the renamed constituency of Waveney from 1983 to 1987. He served in the Cabinet from 1970 to 1974, and from 1979 to 1984. He was made a life peer in 1987. Lord Prior served as the Chairman of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce from 1996 to 2004.

Although he was in the cabinet of Margaret Thatcher as employment minister, he disagreed with some of her views on trade unions and her monetarist economic policies generally. This made him a leader of the "wet" faction in the Conservative Party.