Alistair Carmichael

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Alistair Carmichael

Alistair Carmichael has been the Liberal Democrats MP for Orkney and Shetland since 2001. He is the deputy leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats [1] and was also appointed as secretary of state for Scotland in October 2013. [2]

Carmichael was re-elected in the 2015 general election in May, but his seat which was once considered the safest seat in Scotland came under considerable threat from the so-called 'SNP surge.' [3] The surge described by Salmond as a tsunami, nearly 'unseated the MP with the safest seat in Scotland – former Scottish secretary Alistair Carmichael.' His 9,928 majority was reduced to just 817 votes over the SNP candidate Danus Skene. [3]

History

He was appointed Comptroller (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons) in 2010.[4]

In July 2007 he was chosen to work as the Liberal Democrats Northern Ireland and Scotland Spokesman. [1]

Before entering a role in Parliament, Carmichael worked as a solicitor in Aberdeenshire. [1]

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Alistair Carmichael GOV.UK, accessed 30 October 2014
  2. Michael Moore axed as Scottish secretary as reshuffle begins, BBC News, 7 October 2013.
  3. 3.0 3.1 SNP avalanche sweeps aside Douglas Alexander and Jim Murphy The Guardian, 8 May 2015, accessed 8 May 2015
  4. Rt Hon Mr Alistair Carmichael, www.parliament.uk, accessed 7 October 2013