View source for Alan Beith

{{short description|British politician|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name             = The Lord Beith
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100|PC}}
| image            = Official portrait of Lord Beith 2020 crop 2.jpg
| caption          = Official portrait, 2019
| office           = Chair of the [[Liaison Committee (House of Commons of the United Kingdom)|Liaison Committee]]
| term_start       = 21 July 2010
| term_end         = 30 March 2015
| predecessor      = [[Alan Williams (Swansea West MP)|Alan Williams]]
| successor        = [[Andrew Tyrie]]
| office1          = [[Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats]]
| leader1          = [[Paddy Ashdown]]<br />[[Charles Kennedy]]
| term_start1      = 11 April 1992
| term_end1        = 12 February 2003
| predecessor1     = [[Russell Johnston]]
| successor1       = [[Menzies Campbell]]
| office2          = [[Deputy Leader]] of the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]]
| leader2          = [[David Steel]]
| term_start2      = 1985
| term_end2        = 1988
| predecessor2     = [[John Pardoe]] (1979)
| successor2       = [[Russell Johnston]] ([[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]])
{{Collapsed infobox section begin
| last             = yes
| Frontbench positions
| titlestyle       = border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}
{{Infobox officeholder 
| embed            = yes
| office3          = [[Liberal Democrat frontbench team|Liberal Democrat Leader of the House of Commons]]
| leader3          = [[Charles Kennedy]]
| term_start3      = 29 August 1999
| term_end3        = 15 May 2003
| predecessor3     = [[Charles Kennedy]]
| successor3       = [[Paul Tyler]]
| office4          = [[Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson|Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Home Affairs]]
| leader4          = [[Paddy Ashdown]]
| term_start4      = 12 July 1994
| term_end4        = 29 August 1999
| predecessor4     = Position established
| successor4       = [[Simon Hughes]]
| office5          = [[Liberal Chief Whip]] in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]
| leader5          = [[David Steel]]
| term_start5      = 1977
| term_end5        = 1985
| predecessor5     = [[Cyril Smith]]
| successor5       = [[David Alton]]
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}
}}
| office6          = Member of the [[House of Lords]]
| status6          = Lord Temporal
| term_start6      = 19 October 2015<br />as a [[life peer]]
| term_end6        = 
| office7          = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]]<br />for [[Berwick-upon-Tweed (UK Parliament constituency)|Berwick-upon-Tweed]]
| term_start7      = 8 November 1973
| term_end7        = 30 March 2015
| predecessor7     = [[Antony Lambton]]
| successor7       = [[Anne-Marie Trevelyan]]
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|1943|4|20|df=y}}
| birth_place      = [[Poynton]], [[Cheshire]], England
| death_date       = 
| death_place      = 
| party            = [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] {{small|(before 1988)}}<br />[[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] {{small|(1988–present)}}
| spouse           = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Barbara Ward<br />|1965|1998|reason=d}}
* {{marriage|[[Diana Maddock, Baroness Maddock|Diana, Baroness Maddock]]|2001|2020|reason=d}}
}}
| children         = 2
| alma_mater       = [[Balliol College, Oxford]]<br />[[Nuffield College, Oxford]]
| website          = {{Official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20050124201124/http://alanbeith.org.uk}}
}}

'''Alan James Beith, Baron Beith''' (born 20 April 1943), is a British [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] politician who represented [[Berwick-upon-Tweed (UK Parliament constituency)|Berwick-upon-Tweed]] as its [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) from 1973 to 2015.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mr Alan Beith |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-alan-beith/index.html |website=Hansard |access-date=13 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Parliamentary career for Lord Beith – MPs and Lords |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/513/career |website=UK Parliament |access-date=13 May 2021}}</ref>

From 1992 to 2003 he was [[Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats]]. By 2015 he was the longest-serving member of his party's [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] delegation, and was the last Liberal Democrat MP to have experience of [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] in the 1970s.

Beith was elevated as a [[life peer]] in the [[2015 Dissolution Honours]] list,<ref>{{cite web |title=Dissolution Peerages 2015 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dissolution-peerages-2015 |website=Gov.uk |access-date=27 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327101222/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dissolution-peerages-2015 |archive-date=27 March 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> and took his title and a seat on the [[House of Lords]] opposition benches on 23 November 2015.<ref>{{cite web |title=House of Lords Official Report 23 November 2015 |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldhansrd/lhan71.pdf |website=parliament.uk |access-date=24 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124222035/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldhansrd/lhan71.pdf |archive-date=24 November 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Early life ==
[[File:Oxford - Balliol College - geograph.org.uk - 1329613.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Balliol College]], Oxford]]
The son of John Beith, of [[Scottish people|Scottish extraction]], he was born in 1943 at [[Poynton]] in [[Cheshire]]. He was educated at [[The King's School, Macclesfield]] before going to [[Balliol College, Oxford]], where he read [[Philosophy, Politics and Economics]] graduating in 1964. He then pursued postgraduate studies at [[Nuffield College]], receiving a [[Degrees of the University of Oxford|Bachelor of Letters (BLitt) degree]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.debretts.com/people-of-today/profile/17987/Alan-James-BEITH |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311171023/http://www.debretts.com/people-of-today/profile/17987/Alan-James-BEITH |url-status=dead |title=''Debrett's People of Today'' |archive-date=11 March 2016}}</ref>

In 1966, Beith began his career as a Politics [[lecturer]] at the [[University of Newcastle upon Tyne]]. In 1969 he was elected as a [[Councillor]] on [[Hexham Rural]] [[Local government in the United Kingdom|District Council]] and, in 1970, he was also elected to [[Corbridge]] [[Parish council (England)|parish council]]. He contested Berwick-upon-Tweed as the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] candidate at the [[1970 United Kingdom general election|1970 general election]] but was heavily defeated by the sitting [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] MP [[Antony Lambton]].

== Parliamentary career ==
Beith became a member of [[Tynedale]] [[Local government in the United Kingdom|District Council]] in 1973. Later that year, Antony Lambton resigned as an MP following a [[Investigative journalism|Fleet Street exposé]]. At the [[1973 Berwick-upon-Tweed by-election|ensuing by-election]] on 8 November 1973, Beith was narrowly elected by 57 votes, becoming Berwick's first Liberal MP since 1945.

Just three months after his by-election success, Beith was out canvassing his [[constituent (politics)|constituents]] again at the [[February 1974 United Kingdom general election|February 1974 general election]], being returned to Parliament with an increased majority of 443. Later that same year and still less than a year after entering the House of Commons, Beith had to contest the constituency for a third time in less than a year at the [[October 1974 United Kingdom general election|October 1974 general election]], retaining his seat with a slender majority of 73 votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/lords/lord-beith/513 |title=Lord Beith |publisher=parliament.uk |date=2015-10-19 |access-date=2016-07-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160729224006/http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/lords/lord-beith/513 |archive-date=29 July 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> He held his seat with comfortable majorities in the eight further elections he stood in.

=== Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party ===
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=February 2016}}
Beith was appointed to the [[BBC]] Advisory Council in 1974, and served as a member until 1984. On the election of [[David Steel]] as [[Leader of the Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Leader]] in 1976, Beith became the Party's [[Whip (politics)|Chief Whip]] in the [[United Kingdom House of Commons|Commons]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url=https://www.libdems.org.uk/alan_beith |title=Alan Beith |date=12 October 2015 |access-date=23 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623221937/https://www.libdems.org.uk/alan_beith |archive-date=23 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> After the [[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983 general election]], he was appointed Liberal Spokesman for [[Department of Constitutional Affairs|Constitutional Affairs]]. He was elected as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party in 1985, in both cases continuing his duties as a Commons Chief Whip.

After the [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987 general election]], Beith concentrated his efforts as Liberal Spokesman for [[HM Treasury|Treasury Affairs]] and stood down from being Liberal Chief Whip after eleven years in post. In 1988, the Liberal and [[Social Democratic Party (UK)|Social Democratic]] parties merged, initially as the Social and Liberal Democrats.

=== Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats ===
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=February 2016}}
Beith stood against [[Paddy Ashdown]] in the first [[1988 Social and Liberal Democrats leadership election|leadership election in 1988]], an election which Ashdown won by a large margin. Beith stayed on as [[Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats]] following the [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992 general election]] under Ashdown until 2003, and was sworn of the [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|Privy Council]] in 1992. In 1994, he became the [[Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson]] and continued in post under [[Charles Kennedy]]'s [[Leader of the Liberal Democrats|leadership]]. After the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001 general election]] he briefly became Lib Dem spokesperson for the [[Lord Chancellor's Department]], but left the Lib Dem [[frontbench]] in 2002, though remaining its Deputy Leader until the following year.

After standing down from the [[Liberal Democrat Frontbench Team|Lib Dem frontbench]] he chaired the Commons [[Constitutional Affairs Committee|Constitutional Affairs]], and [[Justice Committee]]s. Following Sir [[Menzies Campbell]]'s resignation as [[Leader of the Liberal Democrats]] on 15 October 2007, Beith was encouraged to stand as a prospective compromise candidate for the Lib Dem leadership. However, via his personal website, he announced his decision not to stand for election as party leader.

=== Later developments ===
On 19 May 2009, Beith was the first MP to declare his candidacy to succeed [[Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)|Speaker]] [[Michael Martin, Baron Martin of Springburn|Michael Martin]], who stood down from the position on 21 June 2009. Beith pledged he was "willing to take on the task of leading reform" were he [[2009 Speaker of the British House of Commons election|elected]] as Commons Speaker.<ref>{{cite news |title=First MP discusses run for Speaker |work=BBC News |date=19 May 2009 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8058618.stm |access-date=20 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160302150932/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8058618.stm |archive-date=2 March 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Conservative MP [[John Bercow]] won, becoming the 157th Speaker of the House Commons of the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/business/commons/the-speaker/ |title=The Speaker of the House of Commons |publisher=parliament.uk |date=2011-02-08 |access-date=2016-07-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810142606/http://www.parliament.uk/business/commons/the-speaker/ |archive-date=10 August 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Knights Bachelor Insignia.png|thumb|right|80px| Insignia of a Knight Bachelor]]
Beith was [[Knight Bachelor|knighted]] in the [[2008 Birthday Honours]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sal.org.uk/salon/archive/issue?no=191&f=1&fs=section1&cs=td |title=Salon Archive Issue: 191 |publisher=sal.org.uk |access-date=2016-07-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215232533/https://www.sal.org.uk/salon/archive/issue?no=191&f=1&fs=section1&cs=td |archive-date=15 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 22 May 2009, Beith was reported by ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' to have claimed £117,000 in [[:wikt:second home|second home]] allowances while his wife, [[Baroness Maddock]], claimed £60,000 Lords expenses for sharing the same address.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Winnett |first1=Robert |last2=Watt |first2=Holly |last3=Prince |first3=Rosa |title=MPs' expenses: cover-up of Ian Gibson and his daughter's cut-price flat deal |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=22 May 2009 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5364319/MPs-expenses-cover-up-of-Ian-Gibson-and-his-daughters-cut-price-flat-deal.html |access-date=22 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090525051854/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5364319/MPs-expenses-cover-up-of-Ian-Gibson-and-his-daughters-cut-price-flat-deal.html |archive-date=25 May 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Replying in writing on both their behalf to ''The Telegraph'' journalist's [[United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal|exposé]]: "It would be quite wrong for the taxpayer to pay twice for the same costs, so we have shared the costs, either by sharing the cost of rent, or by my wife using her allowance towards costs incurred (she normally claims only half the Lords' overnight allowance)", he argued in defence.<ref>{{cite web |last=Beith |first=Alan |title=Beith publishes full Telegraph questions and answers |date=22 May 2009 |url=http://www.alanbeith.org.uk/news/000370/beith_publishes_full_telegraph_questions_and_answers.html |access-date=16 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090525085024/http://www.alanbeith.org.uk/news/000370/beith_publishes_full_telegraph_questions_and_answers.html |archive-date=25 May 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Coalition Government ===
At the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|May 2010 general election]] he was returned as MP for Berwick; however, his majority was reduced by a substantial swing to the Conservatives.

Beith served as Chairman of the Commons [[Justice Select Committee|Justice]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/justice-committee/membership/ |title=Justice Committee Membership |work=parliament.uk |access-date=24 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111121234238/http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/justice-committee/membership/ |archive-date=21 November 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> and of the [[Liaison Committee (House of Commons of the United Kingdom)|Liaison]] Select Committees until retiring in 2015.

He was one of only four Liberal Democrat MPs to vote against the third reading of the [[Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill]].<ref>[http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/05/21/mps-who-voted-against-the-third-reading-of-the-equal-marriage-bill/ MPs who voted against the Third Reading of the Equal Marriage Bill] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130612000723/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/05/21/mps-who-voted-against-the-third-reading-of-the-equal-marriage-bill/ |date=12 June 2013}}. ''Pink News''. Retrieved 31 January 2014.</ref> He was the only Liberal Democrat MP to oppose recognising [[Palestine]] as a state in the Commons vote on 13 October 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm141013/debtext/141013-0004.htm#1410142000423 |title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 13 Oct 2014 (pt 0004) |work=parliament.uk |access-date=29 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024120228/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm141013/debtext/141013-0004.htm#1410142000423 |archive-date=24 October 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/backbench-business-committee/news/mps-debate-palestine-and-israel/ |title=MPs debate Palestine and Israel |publisher=UK Parliament |access-date=27 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231174207/http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/backbench-business-committee/news/mps-debate-palestine-and-israel/ |archive-date=31 December 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Beith campaigned throughout his years in the House of Commons for the [[A1 road (Great Britain)#Proposed developments|A1 road]] to be made a [[dual carriageway]] in [[Northumberland]].<ref>[http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/retiring-mp-sir-alan-beith-7891593 Retiring MP Sir Alan Beith] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021171139/http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/retiring-mp-sir-alan-beith-7891593 |date=21 October 2014}}. ''Chronicle''. Retrieved 6 October 2014.</ref>

=== Elevation to the House of Lords ===
On 7 August 2013, Beith announced that he would retire as an MP at the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|next election]], as he would by the time of the election have represented [[Berwick-upon-Tweed (UK Parliament constituency)|Berwick-upon-Tweed]] for 42 years.<ref>[http://www.libdemvoice.org/alan-beith-to-step-down-in-2015-35656.html Alan Beith to step down in 2015] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130910090951/http://www.libdemvoice.org/alan-beith-to-step-down-in-2015-35656.html |date=10 September 2013}}. ''Liberal Democrat Voice'' (7 August 2013); retrieved 31 January 2014.</ref> He was announced as a [[life peer]] in the [[2015 Dissolution Honours]] and was created '''Baron Beith''', of Berwick-upon-Tweed in the County of Northumberland, on the afternoon of 19 October.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=61389|date=23 October 2015|page=19950|nolink=yes}}</ref>

== Politics ==
Beith is more left-leaning and liberal in social issues, and more right-leaning and conservative economically.

=== Taxes ===
Beith has only voted for reducing [[VAT]] once, on 13 December 2008; from then on he voted for raising it.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=1110 |title=Lord Beith, former MP |access-date=18 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519120537/https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=1110 |archive-date=19 May 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Beith supports higher taxes for [[alcohol (drug)|alcohol]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=6694 |title=Lord Beith, former MP |access-date=18 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519120603/https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=6694 |archive-date=19 May 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> He always voted against a [[mansion tax]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=6711 |title=Lord Beith, former MP |access-date=18 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519033246/https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=6711 |archive-date=19 May 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> He also has voted for reducing [[capital gains tax]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=6754 |title=Lord Beith, former MP |access-date=18 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519120510/https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=6754 |archive-date=19 May 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[corporation tax]]. He has voted for raising [[Income tax threshold|the threshold for paying income tax]].

=== Social ===
He voted against the [[Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013]] in its third reading.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Public Whip — Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill — Third Reading – 21 May 2013 at 18:59 |url=https://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2013-05-21&house=commons&number=11 |url-status=live |access-date=12 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215222520/https://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2013-05-21&house=commons&number=11 |archive-date=15 December 2018}}</ref> Beith also voted for smoking bans<ref>{{cite web |title=Lord Beith, former MP |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=811 |url-status=live |access-date=18 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519033324/https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=811 |archive-date=19 May 2018}}</ref> and against a hunting ban.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lord Beith, former MP |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=1050 |url-status=live |access-date=18 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519033342/https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=1050 |archive-date=19 May 2018}}</ref> He supports lowering the voting age to 16.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lord Beith, former MP |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=842 |url-status=live |access-date=18 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519120653/https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=842 |archive-date=19 May 2018}}</ref> The [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] generally support assisted dying; he has voted against it.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lord Beith, former MP |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=6732 |url-status=live |access-date=18 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519120600/https://www.theyworkforyou.com/peer/10034/lord_beith/divisions?policy=6732 |archive-date=19 May 2018}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Beith was married in 1965 to Barbara Ward, and they had a son and a daughter. His first wife died in 1998, and he then married in 2001 [[Diana Maddock]] (''née'' Derbyshire), formerly MP for [[Christchurch (UK Parliament constituency)|Christchurch]] (1993–1997).<ref>{{cite web |title=About Alan Beith |url=http://berwicklibdems.org.uk/en/page/alan-beith |url-status=live |website=berwicklibdems.org.uk |access-date=19 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222101405/http://berwicklibdems.org.uk/en/page/alan-beith |archive-date=22 February 2015}}</ref>

Until her death on 26 June 2020, Lord Beith and Baroness Maddock divided their time between homes at [[Berwick-upon-Tweed]], [[Northumberland]], and [[London SW1]]; they were one of the few married couples both titled in [[Suo jure|their own right]].<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Mosley |editor-first=Charles |title=Burke's Peerage & Baronetage |title-link=Burke's Peerage |publisher=Burke's Peerage & Gentry Ltd |location=London |edition=107th |date=2003 |page=2559 (MADDOCK, LP) |isbn=0-9711966-2-1}}</ref> Lord Beith serves as [[President (corporate title)|President]] of the [[Historic Chapels Trust]], a charity he helped to found and of which he was Chair of Trustees between 2001 and 2014. He is also President of Northumberland Hospital Radio and of the [[National Liberal Club]].<ref>{{cite web |title=National Liberal Club |url=http://www.nlc.org.uk/ |url-status=live |publisher=nlc.org.uk |access-date=25 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905171303/http://www.nlc.org.uk/ |archive-date=5 September 2015}}</ref>

Lord Beith is a circuit [[Methodist local preacher|lay preacher]] for the [[Methodist church]], a role that he has undertaken for nearly 60 years. In 2016 the Methodist church in Berwick upon Tweed presented a certificate to Beith in recognition of his 50 years of service to that church.<ref>
{{Cite news |author=<!-- not stated --> |date=31 January 2016
|title=Beith's 50 years for church 
|url=https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/beiths-50-years-for-church-407677 
|access-date=27 August 2025 |website=[[Northumberland Gazette]] |language=en-GB |url-status=live |location=Alnwick
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250827104839/https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/beiths-50-years-for-church-407677
|archive-date=27 August 2025}}
</ref> In 2013 Lord Beith wrote an essay entitled "Should the State forgive?" for the book ''Liberal Democrats do God'', which discussed the theological interplay between the Christian understanding of forgiveness and a government's criminal justice system.<ref>
{{Cite book |editor-last1=Latham |editor-first1=Jo |editor-last2=Mathys |editor-first2=Claire |date=14 August 2013|isbn=978-1-4921-2171-8
|title=Liberal Democrats Do God
|language=en-GB |location=London|publisher=Liberal Democrat Christian Forum}}
</ref> He is a past President of the [[Liberal Democrat Christian Forum]].<ref>
{{Cite news |last=Bingham |first=John |date=15 September 2013
|title=‘Silly’ secularism is the new ‘elf ‘n safety, says MP
|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10310561/Silly-secularism-is-the-new-elf-n-safety-says-MP.html
|access-date=27 August 2025 |website=[[Daily Telegraph]] |language=en-GB |url-status=live |location=London
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220406003553/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10310561/Silly-secularism-is-the-new-elf-n-safety-says-MP.html
|archive-date=6 April 2022}}</ref>

He reportedly speaks French, Norwegian, Swedish and Welsh, and is a keen supporter of [[Cultural heritage|heritage matters]].<ref>[http://www.georgiangroup.org.uk/docs/about/index.php?id=2:5:0:0 Profile] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504163553/http://www.georgiangroup.org.uk/docs/about/index.php?id=2%3A5%3A0%3A0 |date=4 May 2015}}, georgiangroup.org.uk; accessed 11 February 2016.</ref>

== Honours ==
* Membership of [[Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council]] (13 June 1992)<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=52952 |date=12 June 1992 |page=1 |supp=y}}</ref>
* [[Life peer]] (2015)<ref name="auto"/>
* [[Knight Bachelor]] (2008)<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=59160 |date=18 August 2009 |page=1}}</ref>

[[Honorary doctorates]]:
* [[Legum Doctor|Hon. DCL]] ([[Newcastle University|Newcastle]]) 1998.<ref>{{cite web |title=Honorary Degree Congregation |url=https://collectionscaptured.ncl.ac.uk/digital/collection/p21051coll2/id/1061/ |website=Newcastle University |date=1998 |access-date=2 February 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Doctor of Civil Law|DCL]] ([[Northumbria University|Northumbria]]) 16 July 2010.<ref>{{cite web |title=Honorary degree for Berwick MP Sir Alan Beith |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-10665773 |website=BBC News England |date=16 July 2010 |access-date=2 February 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Honorary Graduates |url=https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/alumni-association/honorary-graduates/ |website=Northumbria University |date=2 February 2024 |access-date=2 February 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Doctor of Humane Letters|Hon. DHL]] ([[Earlham College|Earlham]]).

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{official website|http://alanbeith.org.uk}}
* [http://www.libdems.org.uk/people/alan-beith Profile] at the Liberal Democrats
* {{UK MP links |parliament=sir-alan-beith/513 |hansard=mr-alan-beith |hansardcurr=3936 |guardian=334/alan-beith |publicwhip=Alan_Beith |theywork=alan_beith |record=Alan-Beith/Berwick-upon-Tweed/1075 |bbc=25716.stm}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110714174553/http://yourdemocracy.newstatesman.com/profile/alan-beith Profile] at ''[[New Statesman]]'' "Your Democracy"
* [https://www.burkespeerage.com/record_to_view.php?book=Burke's%20Peerage%20107th%20Edition&ref=107th&page=2695&totalPages=4689&bref=1114%201986%20%201811%202070 www.burkespeerage.com: MADDOCK, LP]
* {{C-SPAN|14394}}

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{{s-bef|before=[[Sir Cyril Smith]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Liberal Chief Whip]] in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]|years=1977–1985}}
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{{s-ttl|title=[[Deputy Leader]] of the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]]<br />(''position abolished'')|years=1985–1988}}
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{{s-ttl|title=[[Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats]]|years=1992–2003}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[Malcolm Bruce|The Lord Bruce of Bennachie]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom|Gentlemen]]'''<br />''Baron Beith'' '''}}
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{{Current Liberal Democrat peers}}
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