Alex Carlile, Baron Carlile of Berriew
Encyclopedia
Alexander Charles Carlile, Baron Carlile of Berriew, QC
(born 12 February 1948) is a Liberal Democrat member
of the House of Lords
.
and Lancashire
. He was educated at Epsom College
and at King's College London
where he graduated in Law in 1969. He was called to the Bar
by Gray's Inn
in 1970 and became a QC
at the unusually young age of 36.
Lord Carlile of Berriew is a practising barrister
and former head of chambers of 9–12 Bell Yard, a leading set of barristers' chambers. He successfully defended Diana, Princess of Wales
's butler, Paul Burrell
, against charges that Burrell had stolen some of her estate's belongings. In 2001 he was appointed the government's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation.
Lord Carlile stood down as head of chambers at 9-12 Bell Yard in March, 2008. He was succeeded by Philip Katz QC.
in 1999, as Baron Carlile of Berriew, of Berriew in the County of Powys, having previously been a Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament
for Montgomeryshire
from 1983
to 1997. As the sole Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Wales, Carlile helped steer the party through one of its low points. He was instrumental in the pre-devolution discussions with the Welsh Labour Party that led up to the 1997 devolution referendum.
According to the Register of Lords' Interests, Lord Carlile of Berriew is inter alia
a director of 5 Bell Yard Ltd and the Wynnstay
Group of agricultural feed manufacturers, agricultural goods merchants and fuel oil distributors; a Deputy High Court Judge
; a Chairman of the Competition Appeals Tribunal; and a trustee of the White Ensign
Association. He became President of the Howard League for Penal Reform
in 2006.
and forcible strip searching of children in prisons, secure training centres and local authority secure children's homes. Now President of the Howard League
On 11th May and 6th June 2011, Lord Carlile held a follow-on Public Inquiry in the House of Lords. He put together an expert panel to advise and to give evidence to the Inquiry. This expert panel who gave both written and oral evidence consisted of Nick Hardwick (Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons), Paul Cook (G4S children's services), Eric Baskind (British Self Defence Governing Body, Liverpool John Moores University), Malcolm Stevens (JusticeCare Solutions), Laura Janes (Howard League for Penal Reform), John Drew (Youth Justice Board for England and Wales), Sue Berelowitz (Office of the Children's Commissioner) and Carolyne Willow (CRAE).
to campaign for the rights of transsexuals.
Lord Carlile has acted since 2005 as the independent reviewer of British anti-terrorist laws
. The Director of Liberty
, Shami Chakrabarti
, called Carlile's support for control order
s "disappointing" in a February 2006 press release condemning the introduction of control orders by the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005
.
Following the resignation of David Davis
to fight a by-election on an "anti 42-day" platform, Carlile wrote an article for The Sun
criticising his stance. Carlile has been effective in clarifying counter-terrorism law, and has been an effective influence in the reduction of stop and search by police in the UK.
. He is a lifelong supporter of English football club Burnley FC. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, President of the United Kingdom's largest professional security organisation, The Security Institute
, and Chairman of the Chartered Security Professionals Registration Authority. He has three children by his first wife Frances and six grandchildren. He married his second wife Alison Levitt QC in December 2007: she is the Principal Legal Advisor to the Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales
. Both are Benchers of their Inns of Court
. He is currently (2011) a member of the Management Committee of Gray's Inn of which he is a Bencher together with Peter Goldsmith, Baron Goldsmith
.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born 12 February 1948) is a Liberal Democrat member
Members of the House of Lords
This is a list of members of the House of Lords, the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-Lords Spiritual:-Lords Temporal:-Peers on leave of absence:...
of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
Early life and career
Alex Carlile, the son of Polish Jewish immigrants, was brought up in North WalesNorth Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
and Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. He was educated at Epsom College
Epsom College
Epsom College is an independent co-educational public school in Epsom, Surrey, England, for pupils aged 13 to 18. Founded in 1853 to provide support for poor members of the medical profession such as pensioners and orphans , Epsom's long-standing association with medicine was estimated in 1980 as...
and at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
where he graduated in Law in 1969. He was called to the Bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
by Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1970 and became a QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
at the unusually young age of 36.
Lord Carlile of Berriew is a practising barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and former head of chambers of 9–12 Bell Yard, a leading set of barristers' chambers. He successfully defended Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
's butler, Paul Burrell
Paul Burrell
Paul Burrell, RVM is a former servant of the British Royal Household. He was a footman for Queen Elizabeth II and later butler to Diana, Princess of Wales...
, against charges that Burrell had stolen some of her estate's belongings. In 2001 he was appointed the government's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation.
Lord Carlile stood down as head of chambers at 9-12 Bell Yard in March, 2008. He was succeeded by Philip Katz QC.
Political career
Carlile was created a life peerLife peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
in 1999, as Baron Carlile of Berriew, of Berriew in the County of Powys, having previously been a Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Montgomeryshire is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created in 1542, it elects one Member of Parliament , traditionally known as the knight of the shire, by the first-past-the-post system of election.The Montgomeryshire Welsh Assembly...
from 1983
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
to 1997. As the sole Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Wales, Carlile helped steer the party through one of its low points. He was instrumental in the pre-devolution discussions with the Welsh Labour Party that led up to the 1997 devolution referendum.
According to the Register of Lords' Interests, Lord Carlile of Berriew is inter alia
Inter Alia
-Track listing:# Inter Alia# Outfox'd # Righteous Badass # The Altogether feat. Bix, Apt, UNIVERSE ARM and Cal# The Day-to-Daily# Trouble Brewing # The Prestidigitator# The Force...
a director of 5 Bell Yard Ltd and the Wynnstay
Wynnstay
Wynnstay was a famous estate in Wales, the family seat of the Wynns. It is located at Ruabon, near Wrexham.During the 17th century, Sir John Wynn, 5th Baronet inherited the Watstay Estate through his marriage to Jane Evans , and renamed it the Wynnstay Estate...
Group of agricultural feed manufacturers, agricultural goods merchants and fuel oil distributors; a Deputy High Court Judge
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
; a Chairman of the Competition Appeals Tribunal; and a trustee of the White Ensign
White Ensign
The White Ensign or St George's Ensign is an ensign flown on British Royal Navy ships and shore establishments. It consists of a red St George's Cross on a white field with the Union Flag in the upper canton....
Association. He became President of the Howard League for Penal Reform
Howard League for Penal Reform
The Howard League for Penal Reform is a London-based registered charity in the United Kingdom. It is the oldest penal reform organisation in the world, named after John Howard. Founded in 1866 as the Howard Association, a merger with the Penal Reform League in 1921 created the Howard League for...
in 2006.
Howard League for Penal Reform
Chair of the 2006 Inquiry into physical restraint, solitary confinementSolitary confinement
Solitary confinement is a special form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is isolated from any human contact, though often with the exception of members of prison staff. It is sometimes employed as a form of punishment beyond incarceration for a prisoner, and has been cited as an additional...
and forcible strip searching of children in prisons, secure training centres and local authority secure children's homes. Now President of the Howard League
Howard League for Penal Reform
The Howard League for Penal Reform is a London-based registered charity in the United Kingdom. It is the oldest penal reform organisation in the world, named after John Howard. Founded in 1866 as the Howard Association, a merger with the Penal Reform League in 1921 created the Howard League for...
On 11th May and 6th June 2011, Lord Carlile held a follow-on Public Inquiry in the House of Lords. He put together an expert panel to advise and to give evidence to the Inquiry. This expert panel who gave both written and oral evidence consisted of Nick Hardwick (Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons), Paul Cook (G4S children's services), Eric Baskind (British Self Defence Governing Body, Liverpool John Moores University), Malcolm Stevens (JusticeCare Solutions), Laura Janes (Howard League for Penal Reform), John Drew (Youth Justice Board for England and Wales), Sue Berelowitz (Office of the Children's Commissioner) and Carolyne Willow (CRAE).
Legislation
Carlile was the first Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
to campaign for the rights of transsexuals.
Lord Carlile has acted since 2005 as the independent reviewer of British anti-terrorist laws
Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001
The Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 was formally introduced into the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 19 November 2001, two months after the terrorist attacks on New York on 11 September. It received royal assent and came into force on 14 December 2001...
. The Director of Liberty
Liberty (pressure group)
Liberty is a pressure group based in the United Kingdom. Its formal name is the National Council for Civil Liberties . Founded in 1934 by Ronald Kidd and Sylvia Crowther-Smith , the group campaigns to protect civil liberties and promote human rights...
, Shami Chakrabarti
Shami Chakrabarti
Shami Chakrabarti CBE , has been the director of Liberty, a British pressure group, since September 2003. Chakrabarti is the Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University.-Early life:...
, called Carlile's support for control order
Control order
A control order is an order made by the Home Secretary of the United Kingdom to restrict an individual's liberty for the purpose of "protecting members of the public from a risk of terrorism". Its definition and power were provided by Parliament in the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005...
s "disappointing" in a February 2006 press release condemning the introduction of control orders by the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005
Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005
The Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, intended to deal with the Law Lords' ruling of 16 December 2004 that the detention without trial of eight foreigners at HM Prison Belmarsh under Part 4 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001...
.
Following the resignation of David Davis
David Davis (British politician)
David Michael Davis is a British Conservative Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Haltemprice and Howden...
to fight a by-election on an "anti 42-day" platform, Carlile wrote an article for The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
criticising his stance. Carlile has been effective in clarifying counter-terrorism law, and has been an effective influence in the reduction of stop and search by police in the UK.
Personal life
He lists his recreations as politics, theatre, food and football, and is a member of the Athenaeum ClubAthenaeum Club, London
The Athenaeum Club, usually just referred to as the Athenaeum, is a notable London club with its Clubhouse located at 107 Pall Mall, London, England, at the corner of Waterloo Place....
. He is a lifelong supporter of English football club Burnley FC. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, President of the United Kingdom's largest professional security organisation, The Security Institute
The Security Institute
The Security Institute is a United Kingdom based professional body for security professionals.Membership of the Institute is open to security professionals, with other individuals with an interest in security being able to become affiliated. Based on validation of experience, training,...
, and Chairman of the Chartered Security Professionals Registration Authority. He has three children by his first wife Frances and six grandchildren. He married his second wife Alison Levitt QC in December 2007: she is the Principal Legal Advisor to the Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales
Director of Public Prosecutions (England and Wales)
The Director of Public Prosecutions of England and Wales is a senior prosecutor, appointed by the Attorney General. First created in 1879, the office was unified with that of the Treasury Solicitor less than a decade later before again becoming independent in 1908...
. Both are Benchers of their Inns of Court
Inns of Court
The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. All such barristers must belong to one such association. They have supervisory and disciplinary functions over their members. The Inns also provide libraries, dining facilities and professional...
. He is currently (2011) a member of the Management Committee of Gray's Inn of which he is a Bencher together with Peter Goldsmith, Baron Goldsmith
Peter Goldsmith, Baron Goldsmith
Peter Henry Goldsmith, Baron Goldsmith, PC, QC , is a former Attorney General for England and Wales and Northern Ireland. On 22 June 2007, Goldsmith announced his resignation which took effect on 27 June 2007, the same day that prime minister, Tony Blair, stepped down. Goldsmith was the longest...
.
See also
- Timeline of children's rights in the United KingdomTimeline of children's rights in the United KingdomThe timeline of children's rights in the United Kingdom includes a variety of events that are both political and grassroots in nature.The UK government maintains a position that UNCRC is not legally enforceable and is hence 'aspirational' only, although a 2003 ECHR ruling states that, "The human...
- Howard League for Penal ReformHoward League for Penal ReformThe Howard League for Penal Reform is a London-based registered charity in the United Kingdom. It is the oldest penal reform organisation in the world, named after John Howard. Founded in 1866 as the Howard Association, a merger with the Penal Reform League in 1921 created the Howard League for...
External links
- Howard League for Penal Reform
- Lord Carlile speaking about the effectiveness of the House of Commons and about the Rule of Law at a seminar organised by The Constitution Society
- Lord Carlile of Berriew QC profile at the site of Liberal Democrats
- Biography at the House of Lords
- Announcement of his introduction at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 12 October 1999
- Alexander Charles Carlile, Baron Carlile of Berriew, thepeerage.com
- British American Business Council conference, 2001 (page no longer available, cached at zoominfo.com)