Christopher Graham
Encyclopedia
Christopher Sidney Matthew Graham (born 21 September 1950) is the UK Information Commissioner. He took over the role from Richard Thomas on 29 June 2009. Prior to his current appointment, Graham was Director General of the United Kingdom
's Advertising Standards Authority
.
Christopher Graham's father, David Maurice Graham (1911-99), served as a broadcaster with the BBC
External Services from 1939 to 1971. He reported on the liberation of the Nazi death camps and Indian independence, and subsequently specialised in covering Eastern Europe. As an undergraduate, he had played a leading role in The King and Country debate
of 1933 at the Oxford Union
. David Graham's father, Sir Lancelot Graham
(1880-1958), was the first Governor of Sind in British India (now Pakistan).
Christopher Graham was a boy chorister at Canterbury Cathedral
. He was subsequently educated at St. Edward's School, Oxford, and at Liverpool University, where he earned a B.A. degree in history and served during 1971-72 as President of the Guild of Undergraduates. He was a Liverpool City Councillor during 1971-74, one of the youngest people ever elected to a local council in the U.K. Prior to his appointment as Director General of the ASA in 2000, Graham had worked for the BBC since the mid-1970s, including serving as Secretary to the Board of Governors. In the General Elections of 1983 and 1987 he stood unsuccessfully as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the North Wiltshire
parliamentary constituency.
Graham married Mary Crockett, a journalist with The Scotsman
, in April 2010.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's Advertising Standards Authority
Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom)
The Advertising Standards Authority is the self-regulatory organisation of the advertising industry in the United Kingdom. The ASA is a non-statutory organisation and so cannot interpret or enforce legislation. However, its code of advertising practice broadly reflects legislation in many instances...
.
Christopher Graham's father, David Maurice Graham (1911-99), served as a broadcaster with the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
External Services from 1939 to 1971. He reported on the liberation of the Nazi death camps and Indian independence, and subsequently specialised in covering Eastern Europe. As an undergraduate, he had played a leading role in The King and Country debate
The King and Country debate
The King and Country debate was a discussion at the Oxford Union debating society on 9 February 1933 of the resolution: "That this House will in no circumstances fight for its King and Country". It was passed by 275 votes to 153, and became one of the most well-known and notorious debates...
of 1933 at the Oxford Union
Oxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, Britain, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford...
. David Graham's father, Sir Lancelot Graham
Lancelot Graham
Sir Lancelot Graham was an Indian civil servant during the British Raj. He served as the first Governor of Sind from 1 April 1936 to 31 March 1941....
(1880-1958), was the first Governor of Sind in British India (now Pakistan).
Christopher Graham was a boy chorister at Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
. He was subsequently educated at St. Edward's School, Oxford, and at Liverpool University, where he earned a B.A. degree in history and served during 1971-72 as President of the Guild of Undergraduates. He was a Liverpool City Councillor during 1971-74, one of the youngest people ever elected to a local council in the U.K. Prior to his appointment as Director General of the ASA in 2000, Graham had worked for the BBC since the mid-1970s, including serving as Secretary to the Board of Governors. In the General Elections of 1983 and 1987 he stood unsuccessfully as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the North Wiltshire
North Wiltshire (UK Parliament constituency)
North Wiltshire is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Until 1983, it was known as Chippenham.- Boundaries :As the name suggests, the constituency covers most of north Wiltshire...
parliamentary constituency.
Graham married Mary Crockett, a journalist with The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
, in April 2010.