Alistair Carmichael
| The Right Honourable Alistair Carmichael MP |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Government Deputy Chief Whip Liberal Democrat Chief Whip |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 11 May 2010 |
|
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Tommy McAvoy |
| Comptroller of the Household | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 11 May 2010 |
|
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | John Spellar |
| Liberal Democrat Spokesman on Northern Ireland and Scotland | |
| In office October 2008 – 11 May 2010 |
|
| Leader | Nick Clegg |
| Preceded by | Michael Moore |
| Succeeded by | Danny Alexander (Secretary of State for Scotland) Vacant (Northern Ireland) |
| In office July 2007 – March 2008 |
|
| Leader | Sir Menzies Campbell |
| Preceded by | Lembit Öpik (Northern Ireland) Jo Swinson (Scotland) |
| Succeeded by | Michael Moore |
| Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 7 June 2001 |
|
| Preceded by | Jim Wallace |
| Majority | 9,928 (51.3%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 July 1965 Islay |
| Political party | Liberal Democrat |
| Spouse(s) | Kate |
| Children | Two sons |
| Residence | Orkney |
| Alma mater | University of Aberdeen |
| Religion | Church of Scotland |
| Website | Alistair Carmichael MP |
Alexander Morrison "Alistair" Carmichael[1] (born 15 July 1965) is a Liberal Democrat politician. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Scottish seat of Orkney and Shetland since the 2001 general election.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
He was born on Islay, and attended Port Ellen Primary School and Islay High School.[2] He worked between 1984-89 as an hotel manager, before beginning study at the University of Glasgow. There, he was a member of the Students' Representative Council[3] and President of the Liberal Club,[4] however he left his course early. He later returned to education at the University of Aberdeen, where he gained an LLB in 1992, qualifying as a solicitor in 1993.[2] From 1993-96, he was a Procurator Fiscal Depute for Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and from 1996-2001 was a solicitor with Aberdeen and Macduff.[2]
[edit] Political career
Carmichael was elected to represent Orkney and Shetland in the 2001 general election, the constituency previously held by Jim Wallace and Jo Grimond. He was appointed Liberal Democrat Northern Ireland and Scotland Spokesman by Sir Menzies Campbell in July 2007,[5] but resigned in March 2008 in order to vote in favour of a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.[6] He was reappointed to the position by Nick Clegg in October 2008. He had also briefly served as the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesman, following the resignation of Mark Oaten.
He has campaigned to simplify the forms for claiming child tax credit, saying many are not claiming the benefit due to being put off by the application process.[7]
In June 2009, Carmichael was involved in a successful campaign to ban the book by Max Scratchmann, "Chucking it All: How Downsizing To A Windswept Scottish Island Did Absolutely Nothing to Improve My Life", an irreverent account of the author's experience downshifting from Manchester to Orkney, which Carmichael said was "hurtful and vindictive", and attacked a number of "clearly identifiable" residents of the Islands.[8][9]
At the beginning of the Liberal Democrat - Conservative coalition government, Carmichael was appointed Deputy Chief Whip and Comptroller of the Household.
In 2011, Alistair was appointed Honorary President of the Scottish Liberal Democrats youth wing, Liberal Youth Scotland.[citation needed]
[edit] Personal life
He married Kathryn Jane Eastham in 1987. They have 2 sons (born 1997 and 2001) and live in Orkney. He speaks both French and German. He lists his interests as listening to music, theatre and cooking. He is an elder in the Church of Scotland.[10] In 2009, he lost four stone in weight through the Cambridge diet.
[edit] References
- ^ Full name is given as "CARMICHAEL, Alexander Morrison, commonly known as Alistair Carmichael" in the returning officer's 2010 general election declaration
- ^ a b c "CARMICHAEL, Alexander Morrison, (Alistair)". Who's Who online edition. Oxford University Press. December 2008. http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U23506. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
- ^ Alistair Carmichael (1 March 2008). "Speech to the Scottish Liberal Democrat spring conference in Aviemore". Scottish Liberal Democrats. http://www.scotlibdems.org.uk/news/2008/03/alistair-carmichael-mp-spring-conference. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
- ^ "Alistair Carmichael MP: I am excited and inspired by the idea of having Ming as our leader". 13 February 2006. http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/ccarchive/2006/02/13/alistair-carmichael-mp-ming-can-articulate-the-liberal-vision-in-a-way-that-few-others-i-have-ever-known-can-manage/. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
- ^ Summers, Deborah (3 July 2007). "Campbell reshuffles frontbench". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2007/jul/03/liberaldemocrats.sirmenziescampbell. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
- ^ Lib Dem trio quit in referendum revolt - The Independent, 05/03/2006
- ^ Beating Poverty: A simple Solution - Daily Record
- ^ "Orkney satire makes for pulp friction". Scotland on Sunday. 21 June 2009. http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/scotland/Orkney-satire-makes-for-pulp.5386388.jp. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
- ^ Green, Chris (22 June 2009). "Shelved, the book that outraged the Orkneys". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/shelved-the-book-that-outraged-the-orkneys-1712238.html. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
- ^ http://www.libdems.org.uk/?link=people.html
[edit] External links
- Alistair Carmichael MP official constituency website
- Profile at the Liberal Democrats
- Profile at the Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
- Current session contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Electoral history and profile at The Guardian
- Voting record at PublicWhip.org
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou.com
- Profile at Westminster Parliamentary Record
- Profile at BBC News Democracy Live
- Setting Communities Free, Alistair Carmichael, Liberator, November 2003
- Profile: Alistair Carmichael BBC News, 10 February 2005
- Profile at New Statesman
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jim Wallace |
Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland 2001–present |
Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Paul Burstow |
Chief Whip of the Liberal Democrats 2010–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by John Spellar |
Comptroller of the Household 2010–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- 1965 births
- Living people
- Alumni of the University of Aberdeen
- Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
- Members of the United Kingdom Parliament for Orkney and Shetland
- People from Islay
- Scottish Liberal Democrat MPs
- Scottish Presbyterians
- UK MPs 2001–2005
- UK MPs 2005–2010
- UK MPs 2010–
- Elders of the Church of Scotland
