Alistair Carmichael - Political Career

Political Career

Carmichael was elected to represent Orkney and Shetland in the 2001 general election, the constituency previously held by Jim Wallace and Jo Grimond. He was appointed Liberal Democrat Northern Ireland and Scotland Spokesman by Sir Menzies Campbell in July 2007, but resigned in March 2008 in order to vote in favour of a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. He was reappointed to the position by Nick Clegg in October 2008. He had also briefly served as the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesman, following the resignation of Mark Oaten.

He has campaigned to simplify the forms for claiming child tax credit, saying many are not claiming the benefit due to being put off by the application process.

In June 2009, Carmichael was involved in a successful campaign against the book by Max Scratchmann, "Chucking it All: How Downsizing To A Windswept Scottish Island Did Absolutely Nothing to Improve My Life", an irreverent account of the author's experience downshifting from Manchester to Orkney, which Carmichael said was "hurtful and vindictive", and attacked a number of "clearly identifiable" residents of the Islands. Carmichael's complaints to the publisher led them to cancel publication.

At the beginning of the Liberal Democrat - Conservative coalition government, Carmichael was appointed Deputy Chief Whip and Comptroller of the Household.

In 2011, Alistair was appointed Honorary President of the Scottish Liberal Democrats youth wing, Liberal Youth Scotland.