Alistair Carmichael
Encyclopedia
Alexander Morrison "Alistair" Carmichael (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
.
, and attended Port Ellen Primary School and Islay High School. 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
and President of the Liberal Club, 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. From 1993-96, he was a Procurator Fiscal
Depute for Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and from 1996-2001 was a solicitor with Aberdeen and Macduff.
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, but resigned in March 2008 in order to vote in favour of a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty
. 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.
Carmichael is a founder member of the centre-left
Beveridge Group
within the Liberal Democrats, and has argued against the growth of the market liberal
faction within the party (see The Orange Book: Reclaiming Liberalism). However, he is now a whip in the Cameron-Clegg coalition.
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.
In 2011, Alistair was appointed Honorary President of the Scottish Liberal Democrats youth wing, Liberal Youth Scotland
.
and German
. He lists his interests as listening to music, theatre and cooking. He is an elder in the Church of Scotland
. In 2009, he lost four stone in weight through the Cambridge diet.
Scottish Liberal Democrats
The Scottish Liberal Democrats are one of the three state parties within the federal Liberal Democrats; the others being the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats in England...
politician. He has been the 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,...
(MP) for the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
seat of Orkney and Shetland
Orkney and Shetland (UK Parliament constituency)
Orkney and Shetland is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
since the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
.
Early life
He was born on IslayIslay
-Prehistory:The earliest settlers on Islay were nomadic hunter-gatherers who arrived during the Mesolithic period after the retreat of the Pleistocene ice caps. In 1993 a flint arrowhead was found in a field near Bridgend dating from 10,800 BC, the earliest evidence of a human presence found so far...
, and attended Port Ellen Primary School and Islay High School. He worked between 1984-89 as an hotel manager, before beginning study at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
. There, he was a member of the Students' Representative Council
Glasgow University Students' Representative Council
Glasgow University Students' Representative Council was founded on 9th March 1886 and recognised as the legal representative body for students of the University of Glasgow by the Universities Act 1889. The SRC is responsible for representing students' interests to the management of the University...
and President of the Liberal Club, however he left his course early. He later returned to education at the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
, where he gained an LLB
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
in 1992, qualifying as a solicitor in 1993. From 1993-96, he was a Procurator Fiscal
Procurator Fiscal
A procurator fiscal is a public prosecutor in Scotland. They investigate all sudden and suspicious deaths in Scotland , conduct Fatal Accident Inquiries and handle criminal complaints against the police A procurator fiscal (pl. procurators fiscal) is a public prosecutor in Scotland. They...
Depute for Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and from 1996-2001 was a solicitor with Aberdeen and Macduff.
Political career
Carmichael was elected to represent Orkney and ShetlandOrkney and Shetland (UK Parliament constituency)
Orkney and Shetland is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
in the 2001 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
, the constituency previously held by Jim Wallace and Jo Grimond. He was appointed Liberal Democrat Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Office
The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
and Scotland
Scotland Office
The Scotland Office is a United Kingdom government department headed by the Secretary of State for Scotland and responsible for Scottish affairs...
Spokesman by Sir Menzies Campbell
Menzies Campbell
Sir Walter Menzies "Ming" Campbell, CBE, QC, MP is a British Liberal Democrat politician and advocate, and a retired sprinter. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Fife, and was the Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2 March 2006 until 15 October 2007.Campbell held the British record...
in July 2007, but resigned in March 2008 in order to vote in favour of a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty
Treaty of Lisbon
The Treaty of Lisbon of 1668 was a peace treaty between Portugal and Spain, concluded at Lisbon on 13 February 1668, through the mediation of England, in which Spain recognized the sovereignty of Portugal's new ruling dynasty, the House of Braganza....
. He was reappointed to the position by Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg
Nicholas William Peter "Nick" Clegg is a British Liberal Democrat politician who is currently the Deputy Prime Minister, Lord President of the Council and Minister for Constitutional and Political Reform in the coalition government of which David Cameron is the Prime Minister...
in October 2008. He had also briefly served as the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesman, following the resignation of Mark Oaten
Mark Oaten
Mark Oaten is a former British Liberal Democrat politician. He served as the Member of Parliament for Winchester from 1997 to 2010, and was his party's Home Affairs spokesperson from 2003 to 2006...
.
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.
Carmichael is a founder member of the centre-left
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
Beveridge Group
Beveridge Group
The Beveridge Group is a centre-left group within the Liberal Democrat party in the UK. It was set up in 2001 by MPs Alistair Carmichael, Paul Holmes, John Barrett and John Pugh to promote debate within the party regarding public service provision....
within the Liberal Democrats, and has argued against the growth of the market liberal
Market liberalism
The term market liberalism is used in two distinct meanings.Especially in the United States, the term is often used as a synonym to classical liberalism...
faction within the party (see The Orange Book: Reclaiming Liberalism). However, he is now a whip in the Cameron-Clegg coalition.
In June 2009, Carmichael was involved in a successful campaign to ban the book by Max Scratchmann
Max Scratchmann
Max Scratchmann is a British illustrator and author.He was born in Calcutta, India, to Scottish parents in 1956. He studied English Literature at the University of Strathclyde but preferred art and began illustrating professionally in the late seventies working as a cartoonist and comic artist...
, "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
Downshifting
Downshifting is a social behavior or trend in which individuals live simpler lives to escape from the rat race of obsessive materialism and to reduce the “stress, overtime, and psychological expense that may accompany it.” It emphasizes finding an improved balance between leisure and work and...
from Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
to Orkney, which Carmichael said was "hurtful and vindictive", and attacked a number of "clearly identifiable" residents of the Islands.
In 2011, Alistair was appointed Honorary President of the Scottish Liberal Democrats youth wing, Liberal Youth Scotland
Liberal Youth Scotland
Liberal Youth Scotland is the youth and students wing of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. Reformed from the Scottish Young Liberal Democrats in 2008, the organisation has taken a prominent role in party conferences...
.
Personal life
He married Kathryn Jane Eastham in 1987. They have 2 sons (born 1997 and 2001) and live in Orkney. He speaks both FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. He lists his interests as listening to music, theatre and cooking. He is an elder in the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
. In 2009, he lost four stone in weight through the Cambridge diet.
External links
- Alistair Carmichael MP official constituency website
- Profile at the Liberal Democrats
- Profile at the Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Setting Communities Free, Alistair Carmichael, Liberator, November 2003
- Profile: Alistair Carmichael BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, 10 February 2005 - Profile at New StatesmanNew StatesmanNew Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....