Derek Lewis (prison governor)
Encyclopedia
Derek Lewis is a former Chief Executive and Director General of the British
Prison Service
, who was sacked by then Home Secretary
Michael Howard
after a prison scandal in 1995.
He is most famous, however, for an interview which occurred during the 1997 Conservative Leadership contest in which Jeremy Paxman
asked whether Mr Howard had threatened to overrule Lewis. The question was put no fewer than 12 times with Howard failing to give a definitive answer.
A 2005 freedom of information
request shed new light on the issue.
Lewis studied at Queens' College, Cambridge
between 1964 and 1967.
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...
Prison Service
Her Majesty's Prison Service
Her Majesty's Prison Service is a part of the National Offender Management Service of the Government of the United Kingdom tasked with managing most of the prisons within England and Wales...
, who was sacked by then Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
Michael Howard
Michael Howard
Michael Howard, Baron Howard of Lympne, CH, QC, PC is a British politician, who served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from November 2003 to December 2005...
after a prison scandal in 1995.
He is most famous, however, for an interview which occurred during the 1997 Conservative Leadership contest in which Jeremy Paxman
Jeremy Paxman
Jeremy Dickson Paxman is a British journalist, author and television presenter. He has worked for the BBC since 1977. He is noted for a forthright and abrasive interviewing style, particularly when interrogating politicians...
asked whether Mr Howard had threatened to overrule Lewis. The question was put no fewer than 12 times with Howard failing to give a definitive answer.
A 2005 freedom of information
Freedom of information in the United Kingdom
Freedom of information legislation in the United Kingdom is controlled by two Acts of the United Kingdom and Scottish Parliaments respectively, which both came into force on 1 January 2005.* Freedom of Information Act 2000...
request shed new light on the issue.
Lewis studied at Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
between 1964 and 1967.
See also
- Michael Howard Infamous interview on Newsnight