Nicholas Ridley, Baron Ridley of Liddesdale
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Nicholas Ridley (February 17, 1929 - March 4, 1993) was a British politician.
He was a strong supporter in the Conservative Party of Margaret Thatcher. He became a member of her cabinet. In that role he played an important part in preparations for a possible coal strike, by way of stockpiling coal at power stations; this degree of foresight was an important factor in the UK miners' strike (1984-1985). The Ridley Plan to reduce the UK's dependence on deep-mined coal for energy was a prototype of later developments. Formative on the attitudes behind these ideas was the occasion, early in the Thatcher administration, when the government backed down from a confrontation with the miners, mindful of the end of Edward Heath's time in office. It is reported that Ridley's advice on avoiding a repeat had a major effect on the subsequent approach.
On July 14, 1990 he was forced to resign as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry after an interview published in The Spectator. He had described the proposed Economic and Monetary Union as "a German racket designed to take over the whole of Europe" and said that giving up sovereignty to Europe was as bad as giving it up to Adolf Hitler. The interview was illustrated with a cartoon depicting Ridley adding a Hitler moustache to a poster of the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl. While Ridley was not one of the most powerful government members, his departure was a significant break in the Thatcherite ranks; Margaret Thatcher herself had ro resign less than six months later. Some commentators point to Ridley's resignation, its manner, and the European issue at its core, as leading indicators for the next decade of Conservative Party politics.
| Preceded by: Tom King | Secretary of State for Transport 1983–1986 | Followed by: John Moore |
| Preceded by: Kenneth Baker | Secretary of State for the Environment 1986–1989 | Followed by: Chris Patten |
| Preceded by: The Lord Young of Graffham | Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 1989–1990 | Followed by: Peter Lilley |