Basil Wigoder was a politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 and 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...

 in the United Kingdom

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...

.

Wigoder was born in 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...

 and studied at Manchester Grammar School

Manchester Grammar School

The Manchester Grammar School is the largest independent day school for boys in the UK . It is based in Manchester, England...

, then read modern history at Oriel College, Oxford. During World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, he served in the Royal Artillery

Royal Artillery

The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...

. At the end of the war, he stood for the Liberal Party

Liberal Party (UK)

The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...

 in Bournemouth

Bournemouth (UK Parliament constituency)

Bournemouth is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. The seaside resort was created as a parliamentary borough in 1918 and the seat existed until it was divided in 1950...

 at the 1945 UK general election, taking second place, then stood again at the Bournemouth by-election, later in the year, falling to third. He then returned to Oxford, where he served as President of the Oxford Union, before joining 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...

.

Wigoder appeared in a number of high-profile trials, including Willcock v Muckle, concerning identity cards, the prosecution of Anthony Reuter, and the defence of George Wigg

George Wigg

George Edward Cecil Wigg, Baron Wigg PC was a British politician who only served in relatively junior offices but had a great deal of influence behind the scenes, especially with Harold Wilson. Wigg served in the British Army for almost all his career up to his election as Member of Parliament...

 from a charge of kerb crawling, Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Albans, KC was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England...

 from a charge of possessing cannabis, Jonathan Aitken

Jonathan Aitken

Jonathan William Patrick Aitken is a former Conservative Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom, and British government minister. He was convicted of perjury in 1999 and received an 18-month prison sentence, of which he served seven months...

 from accusations of leaking classified information, the Earl of Snowdon

Earl of Snowdon

Earl of Snowdon is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1961, together with the subsidiary title Viscount Linley, of Nymans in the County of Sussex, for Antony Armstrong-Jones, who was then the husband of HRH The Princess Margaret...

 from a charge of dangerous driving.

Wigoder remained prominent in Liberal politics, standing in Westbury

Westbury (UK Parliament constituency)

Westbury was a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire from 1449 to 2010. It was represented in the House of Commons of England until 1707, and then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801...

 in 1959 and 1964, without success. He was the Chairman of the Liberal Party in 1963, and in 1974 was given a life peerage, serving as the Liberal Chief Whip in the Lords from 1977 until 1984, then as party spokesperson on Home Affairs and the Health Service.

From 1972 until 1984, Wigoder served as Recorder of the Crown Court

Crown Court

The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...

. He was also a founder of the Criminal Bar Association, sole chairman of the Health Services Board, and the chairman of BUPA

Bupa

Bupa is a large British healthcare organisation, with bases on three continents and more than ten million customers in over 200 countries. It is a private healthcare company, in direct contrast to the UK's National Health Services, which are tax-funded healthcare systems and do not require private...

.