Alistair Carmichael

Alistair Carmichael
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Name	Alistair Carmichael
Office	Lord President of the Council
Term start	5 October 2022
Primeminister	Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak
Office1	Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Commons
Term start1	8 February 2022
Term end1	5 October 2022
Primeminister1	Boris Johnson
Office2	Minister of State for the Cabinet Office
Term start2	17 September 2021
Term end2	8 February 2022
Primeminister2	Boris Johnson
Office3	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
Term start3	7 October 2013
Term end3	8 May 2015
Primeminister3	David Cameron
Office4	Liberal Democrat Chief Whip
Term start4	7 January 2015
Term end4	8 May 2015
Leader4	Nick Clegg
Office5	Member of Parliament, for Orkney and Shetland
Term start5	7 June 2001
Predecessor5	Jim Wallace
Party	Liberal Democrats
Alma mater	University of Aberdeen
Birth date	15 July 1965
Birth place	Islay, Argyll, Scotland

Alistair Carmichael is a Liberal Democrat politician who has served as the Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland since 2001. He held several ministerial roles in the 2010–2015 coalition government, including Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, and later served in the Cabinet as Lord President of the Council under Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak. Known for his advocacy for Scottish devolution and rural issues, he is a prominent figure within his party and has been a consistent voice for the Northern Isles.

Early life and education

Born on Islay in Argyll, he was raised in the Inner Hebrides before his family moved to the Isle of Coll. He attended Oban High School before studying law at the University of Aberdeen, graduating with an LLB. During his time at university, he became involved in politics through the Liberal Party and was an active member of the University of Aberdeen Students' Association.

Political career

Elected in the 2001 general election, he succeeded Jim Wallace and quickly established himself as a spokesperson on Home Office and constitutional matters. Following the 2010 election, he was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, working under Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore. In 2013, he was promoted within the Scotland Office, advocating for the Better Together side during the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. He briefly served as Liberal Democrat Chief Whip under Nick Clegg in 2015. After the 2015 election, he served on the Scottish Affairs Select Committee and was his party's spokesman on foreign affairs. In 2021, he joined the Johnson ministry as Minister of State for the Cabinet Office and later became Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Commons. He was appointed Lord President of the Council in the Truss ministry, a role he retained under Rishi Sunak.

Electoral history

He first won the Orkney and Shetland seat in the 2001 election with a majority of over 6,000 votes. He retained the seat with increased majorities in the 2005, 2010, and 2015 elections, though his majority was significantly reduced in 2015 following the Liberal Democrats' national decline. He was re-elected in the 2017 and 2019 general elections, with his majority recovering as the SNP challenge receded. His constituency has been held by the Liberal Party and its successors since the 1950 victory of Jo Grimond.

Personal life

He is married and has two children. A committed Church of Scotland elder, he is actively involved in his local congregation in Lerwick. His interests include sailing, fishing, and the preservation of the Scottish Gaelic language. He is a patron of several charities focused on marine conservation and rural development in the Highlands and Islands.

References

Category:Living people Category:Liberal Democrat MPs for Scottish constituencies Category:Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Category:People from Islay Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Category:21st-century Scottish politicians