Alex Carlile, Baron Carlile of Berriew

Alexander Charles Carlile, Baron Carlile of Berriew, (born 12 February 1948) is a British barrister and crossbench member of the House of Lords. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Montgomeryshire from 1983 to 1997 under the banner of the Liberal Party and then Liberal Democrat.

Early life and career at the bar Alex Carlile, the son of Polish Jewish immigrants, was born in Ruabon, Wrexham, Wales and brought up 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 (QC) at the early age of 36.

Lord Carlile of Berriew is a company director and 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.

Carlile sat as a Liberal Democrat peer until 2016, when he left the party, stating that he found himself "at odds" with its policies on many matters, including national security issues. It was reported that civil liberties, especially the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, were at the core of the disagreement.

In 2001 he was appointed the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation. He continued the role until 2011.

From 2001 to 2016 Carlile sat as a deputy judge in the High Court of Justice.

In 2014 Carlile mounted a legal challenge to the UK travel ban on Maryam Rajavi, leader of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MeK) and president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. The Supreme Court decided in favour of the UK government.

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".

Carlile 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 (to cover the cost of lawyers consulting suspects in police stations). "A single moment of reflection leaves one open-mouthed at the absurdity of this proposal", he said.

In 2016 Carlile sat on the founding committee of National Opposition to Windfarms, and sponsored the launch event at the Houses of Parliament.

In 2019 Carlile was initially appointed to lead the independent review of the UK government's Prevent programme but resigned after a legal challenge was mounted by Rights Watch UK against his appointment; the petitioner felt strongly that his statements in favour of the strategy would unduly bias his report. The strategy had "become a toxic brand for many within Muslim communities, with some viewing it as a state tool for spying on them."

In 2020 Carlile was listed as a bencher on the Competition Appeal Tribunal, where he sat between 2005 and 2013 as part-time Chair.

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 and William Jessett CBE (former Director of Strategy at UK Ministry of Defence.

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. He was president of the Howard League for Penal Reform in 2006–9.

Penal reform

From 2006 to 2013, Carlile was President of the Howard League for Penal Reform.

In 2006 he was chairman of the Carlile Inquiry into the use of force on children in custody. In 2011, Lord Carlile held a follow-up hearing in the House of Lords. He put together an expert panel who gave both written and oral evidence.

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 club Burnley FC. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Patron of The Security Institute, and Patron (previously Chairman) 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 KC, in December 2007. She was herself a barrister, until her appointment as a Circuit Judge. She was created a life peer as Baroness Levitt in 2025.

Carlile is a Bencher of Gray's Inn.

On 11 July 2018, Carlile (after being granted a visa) 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.