Alex Carlile, the son of Polish Jewish immigrants, was brought up in Ruabon, North Wales and in Lancashire. He was educated at Epsom College and at King's College London where he graduated in law in 1969. He was called to the Bar by Gray's Inn in 1970 and became a Queen's Counsel at the early age of 36. Lord Carlile of Berriew is a barrister and former head of chambers of Foundry Chambers, London, a set of barristers' chambers. He defended Diana, Princess of Wales's butler, Paul Burrell, against charges that Burrell had stolen some of her estate's belongings. In 2001 he was appointed the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation. Carlile stood down as head of chambers at 9–12 Bell Yard in March 2008. Carlile was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to national security.
Political career
Carlile was created a life peer on 27 July 1999, as Baron Carlile of Berriew, of Berriew in the County of Powys, having previously been a Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire from 1983 to 1997; he had stood unsuccessfully as a Liberal for East Flintshire in February and October 1974. As the sole Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Wales after the 1992 election, Carlile helped steer the party through one of its low points. He was instrumental in the pre-devolution discussions with the Welsh Labour Party that led up to the 1997 devolution referendum. Lord Carlile sat as a Liberal Democrat peer until 2016 when he left the party stating that he found himself "at odds" with the party's policies on many matters including national security issues. It was reported that civil liberties, especially the so-called Snooper's Charters, were at the core of the disagreement. According to the Register of Lords' Interests, Lord Carlile of Berriew was at various times a director of 5 Bell Yard Ltd and the Wynnstay Group of agricultural feed manufacturers, agricultural goods merchants and fuel oil distributors; a Deputy High Court Judge; a Chairman of the Competition Appeals Tribunal; and a trustee of the White Ensign Association. He became President of the Howard League for Penal Reform in 2006. Carlile is a co-director and co-owner of a strategy and political risks consultancy, SC Strategy Limited with Sir John Scarlett, the former chief of MI6. Carlile was, in 2014, the principal proponent of the withdrawal of Maryam Rajavi's travel ban. The Supreme Court decided in favour of the UK government.
Chair of the 2006 Inquiry into physical restraint, solitary confinement and forcible strip searching of children in prisons, secure training centres and local council secure children's homes. Now President of the Howard League On 11 May and 6 June 2011, Lord Carlile held a follow-on Public Inquiry in the House of Lords. He put together an expert panel to advise and to give evidence to the Inquiry. This expert panel who gave both written and oral evidence consisted of Nick Hardwick, Paul Cook, Eric Baskind, Malcolm Stevens, Laura Janes, John Drew, Sue Berelowitz, and Carolyne Willow.
Legislation
Carlile was the first Member of Parliament to campaign for the rights of transgender people. Lord Carlile acted from 2001 to 2011 as the UK's Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation. He was succeeded by David Anderson QC. The Director of Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, called Carlile's support for control orders "disappointing" in a February 2006 press release condemning the introduction of control orders by the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005. Following the resignation of David Davis to fight a by-election on an "anti 42-day" platform, Carlile wrote an article for The Sun criticising his stance. In 2015, he joined with a cross-party group of peers to reintroduce the Draft Communications Data Bill, known by its opponents as the "Snoopers' Charter". He was an independent reviewer on the 2015 Assessment on Paramilitary Groups in Northern Ireland. He was vocal in his opposition to the UK coalition government's Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, proposing many amendments. He was one of five Lords who vehemently opposed the introduction of means testing for police advice. "A single moment of reflection leaves one open-mouthed at the absurdity of this proposal," he said. He was initially appointed to lead the independent review of the UK government’s Prevent programme but was removed after a legal challenge was mounted against his appointment.
Personal life
He lists his recreations as politics, theatre, food and football, and is a member of the Athenaeum Club. He is a lifelong supporter of English football clubBurnley FC. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Patron of The Security Institute, and Patron of the Chartered Security Professionals Registration Authority. He has three children by his first wife Frances and nine grandchildren. He married his second wife, Alison Levitt, QC, in December 2007. She is a member of the London barristers' chambers, 2 Hare Court. Carlile is a Bencher of Gray's Inn. On 11 July 2018, Carlile was refused entry to India at Indira Gandhi International Airport where he was due to address a press conference in defence of jailed Bangladeshi politician Khaleda Zia and meet a human rights body. India's foreign ministry said his "intended activity in India was incompatible with the purpose of his visit as mentioned in his visa application", though media reported the decision to refuse him entry was a political one to protect India-Bangladesh relations.
