Former Welsh Lib Dem leader Lord Carlile quits party

A former Welsh Liberal Democrat leader has quit the party in the House of Lords.

Alex Carlile was Montgomeryshire MP from 1983 to 1997, and spent a decade as the UK government's terrorism legislation reviewer.

He confirmed to BBC News he was no longer a Lib Dem peer but said he had no further comment to make.

The Lib Dems said they were "disappointed but not surprised" by his decision.

"He has been at odds with party policy on a number of occasions in recent years, especially over civil liberties," a spokesman said.

"We are grateful for his years of service to the party and wish him well in future."

Lord Carlile was brought up in north Wales and Lancashire and was made a life peer in 1999.

In November he was appointed to lead an independent review into how the Church of England handled child abuse accusations against Bishop of Chichester, George Bell, in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

He supported the so-called "snooper's charter" despite party leader Nick Clegg being against it.