Alexander Andrew Mackay Irvine, Baron Irvine of Lairg,PC,KC(born 23 June 1940), known asDerry Irvine,is a Scottishlawyerand politician who served asLord Chancellorfrom 1997 to 2003.
The Lord Irvine of Lairg | |
|---|---|
| Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain | |
| In office 2 May 1997 – 12 June 2003 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | The Lord Mackay of Clashfern |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Falconer of Thoroton |
| Shadow portfolios | |
| 1992–1997 | Shadow Lord Chancellor |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
| Assumed office 25 March 1987 Life peerage | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alexander Andrew Mackay Irvine 23 June 1940 Inverness,Scotland,UK |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow Christ's College, Cambridge |
He founded and headed 11 King's Bench Walk Chambers in the 1980s, and later became aRecorderand DeputyHigh Court Judge.A member of theLabour Party,Irvine was appointed to theHouse of Lordsin 1987 and served asShadow Lord Chancellorfrom 1992 to 1997. He was appointed to the position inCabinetbyPrime MinisterTony Blair,his former pupil, after the1997 electionand served until his dismissal in 2003.
Early life and education
editAlexander Andrew Mackay Irvine was born on 23 June 1940 inInverness,Scotlandto a roofer and a waitress. He was educated at the independentHutchesons' Boys' Grammar SchoolinGlasgow.
Irvine studiedScots lawat theUniversity of Glasgow,where he became involved in debating through theGlasgow University Dialectic SocietyandGlasgow University Union;He befriendedDonald DewarandJohn Smiththrough his involvement in the societies. Irvine subsequently studiedEnglish lawatChrist's College, Cambridge.
Legal career
editAfter teaching law at theLondon School of Economics,Irvine wascalled to the Barin 1967 and joined chambers headed byMorris Finer.He was appointed aQueen's Counselin 1978 and founded 11 King's Bench Walk Chambers in 1981, becoming head of chambers. Irvine's pupil barristers includedTony BlairandCherie Booth.In the 1980s, he became aRecorderand later a DeputyHigh Court Judge.
Political career
editAt the1970 general election,Irvine unsuccessfully contestedHendon Northas theLabour Partycandidate.[1]A legal adviser to the Party through the 1980s, he was awarded alife peerageasBaron Irvine of Lairg,ofLairgin the District ofSutherland,on 25 March 1987.[2]
Irvine served asShadow Lord Chancellorfrom 1992 to 1997 under Labour leadersJohn Smith,Margaret Beckett,andTony Blair.After Labour's election victory in1997,Blair appointed him asLord Chancellor.
During Irvine's tenure as Lord Chancellor, he oversaw the incorporation of theEuropean Convention on Human Rightsinto UK law. In 2001, Irvine gained further responsibility for constitutional issues including human rights and freedom of information. He notably chose not to wear the officeholder's traditional attire during most of his tenure in the role.[3][4]Irvine was the last Lord Chancellor to give judgments at theAppellate Committee of the House of Lords,giving a brief concurring judgment inAIB Group (UK) Ltd v Martin[2001] UKHL 63. He also gave the last reasoned judgment to be given by a Lord Chancellor, inUratemp Ventures Ltd v Collins[2001] UKHL 43.
Blair dismissed Irvine from theCabinetin June 2003, when he announced his intention to abolish the position of Lord Chancellor. However, the role was not abolished, but was used as a secondary title for theJustice Secretaryfrom 2005.
Controversies
editIrvine was criticised for spending £650,000 of public money to redecorate the Lord Chancellor's residence in 1998.[5]The cost included £59,000 in hand-printed wallpaper, and contractors had to sign theOfficial Secrets Actto prevent expenditure leaks.[5]Although renovation responsibility was with the Lords authorities, Irvine defended the cost by stating that the materials would last longer than cheaper products.[6]
He was awarded a pay rise of £22,691 in 2003, as a result of a formula designed to keep his salary ahead that of theLord Chief Justice.However, he accepted a lower increase following public backlash to the decision.
Personal life
editIrvine was married to Alison McNair, with whom he had a son, Alistair, and later divorced.[7]He began his relationship with McNair during her marriage toDonald Dewar.Alistair was sentenced to 16 months in jail in the US, after pleading guilty to stalking and vandalism in 2002.[8][9]
Arms
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References
edit- ^"The fall of Derry Irvine".scotsman.Retrieved23 February2017.
- ^"No. 50874".The London Gazette(1st supplement). 30 March 1987. p. 4265.
- ^"Peers tense over tights".BBC News.13 October 1998.
- ^"Lord Irvine angry over wigs".BBC News.10 November 1998.
- ^abSylvester, Rachel; Winnett, Robert (29 March 2008)."Michael Martin's home gets £1.7m makeover".The Daily Telegraph.London. Archived fromthe originalon 2 April 2008.Retrieved4 November2012.
- ^"BBC News | UK | Irvine's attempt to paper over cracks".news.bbc.co.uk.Retrieved23 February2017.
- ^"BBC News | UK Politics | Lord Irvine's guilt over Dewar's wife".news.bbc.co.uk.Retrieved23 February2017.
- ^"Irvine son held on stalking charges".12 April 2012.
- ^"Irvine's son jailed for 16 months in US".TheGuardian.25 October 2002.
- ^Debrett's Peerage.2019. p. 3148.