Matt Ridley
The Viscount Ridley | |
|---|---|
Ridley in 2018 | |
| Member of the House of Lords | |
Lord Temporal | |
| as an elected hereditary peer 8 February 2013 – 17 December 2021 | |
| Preceded by | The 13th Earl Ferrers |
| Succeeded by | The 3rd Baron Strathcarron |
| Chairman of Northern Rock | |
| In office April 2004 – October 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Sir John Riddell |
| Succeeded by | Bryan Sanderson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Matthew White Ridley 7 February 1958 Northumberland, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Rose Paterson (sister) |
| Residence(s) | Blagdon Hall, Northumberland |
| Education | Eton College |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford (BA, DPhil) |
| Occupation | Journalist, businessman, politician |
| Known for | |
| Awards |
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| Employer | |
| Other titles | 9th Baronet (of Blagdon) |
| Website | mattridley |
| Scientific career | |
| Thesis | Mating system of the pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) (1983) |
| Doctoral advisor | Chris Perrins |
Matthew White Ridley, 5th Viscount Ridley (born 7 February 1958), is a British science writer, journalist and businessman. He is known for his writings on science, the environment, and economics, and has been a regular contributor to The Times newspaper. Ridley was chairman of the UK bank Northern Rock from 2004 to 2007, during which period it experienced the first run on a British bank in 130 years. He resigned, and the bank was bailed out by the UK government; this led to its nationalisation.
Ridley is a libertarian, and a staunch supporter of Brexit. He inherited the viscountcy in February 2012 and was a Conservative hereditary peer from February 2013, with an elected seat in the House of Lords, until his retirement in December 2021.