Terror laws watchdog Lord Carlile appointed CBE

31 December 2011

Lib Dem peer Lord Carlile has been made a CBE in the New Year's Honours list for services to national security.

The barrister was appointed to the role of independent reviewer of terrorism legislation on 11 September 2001 - hours before the US attacks.

Lib Dem MP Bob Russell and Conservative MP Roger Gale were both knighted while Labour's Joan Ruddock becomes a dame.

And Baroness Hayman - the first elected Speaker of the House of Lords - becomes a Dame Grand Cross (GBE).

Thousands of honours are awarded each year - at New Year and the Queen's official birthday in June - to recognise "merit, gallantry and service", with recipients nominated by an individual or organisation, or a government department.

Stop and search

Lord Carlile spent a decade as the government's terrorism legislation reviewer - largely under the previous Labour government - in the wake of the 11 September 2001 attacks.

The period saw much controversy over terrorism laws - including efforts to extend the time terrorism suspects could be held without charge to 90 days - which resulted in Tony Blair's first Commons defeat as PM.

The 63-year-old QC has warned about the dangers of laws undermining human rights and criticised the increased use of police "stop and search" powers.

But he also supported the government's controversial control orders, which put terrorism suspects under close supervision, and has criticised human rights rulings in Strasbourg which he said had made the UK a "safe haven" for suspected foreign terrorists.

He was replaced in the role by David Anderson at the start of 2011 and has since led an inquiry into child protection at Ealing Abbey in west London.

The peer said the honour was unexpected: "I was never looking for such a thing, but it's nice for one's work to be recognised.

"It was challenging and I had to be conscious every single day that I was independent of the government and independent of any lobbying or special interest group.

"In my view the task was to get it right, even if that involved satisfying nobody. Over the years I've been cited on both sides of most arguments, which satisfies me of the independence I sought to keep."

Three MPs made it onto the list.

Mr Russell becomes a knight in recognition of his public service. The former journalist has been MP for Colchester since 1997, used to be the Essex town's mayor and served as a borough councillor for 31 years.

Former TV producer and director Mr Gale, MP for North Thanet in Kent, was first elected in 1983 and has served on various committees - including home affairs and a former Conservative Party vice chairman.

He has been honoured for public and political services, as has Ms Ruddock, MP for Lewisham Deptford since 1987, who made her name as a CND campaigner, environmentalist and feminist.

And Baroness Hayman was honoured for services to the House of Lords, where she became the first elected speaker in 2006, chairing debates in the upper chamber - a role that was previously carried out by the lord chancellor.

The former Labour minister, now a crossbench peer, is also a former chairwoman of Cancer Research UK and was made a life peer in 1996.