Archy Kirkwood

Liberal Democrat MP Roxburgh and Berwickshire

Date of birth

22 April 1946

Political profile

A long serving MP who has been in the Commons since 1983, Sir Archy Kirkwood has held many senior positions in a small party.

He served for many years as the Liberal Democrats' social security spokesman and also as a successful chief whip.

He is a skilled political organiser and has an easy, unpartisan manner which makes him popular across parties.

Since 1997, he has been a member of the House of Commons Commission, as well as chairing the social security - now work and pensions - select committee.

He was the Parliamentary voice of the Commons Commission during its public battle with Elizabeth Filkin over her re-appointment as Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.

He is a supporter of radical constitutional reform and is chair of the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust.

He achieved the unusual feat of successfully getting two private members' bills through the Commons in two successive years. Both gave people greater rights to inspect files held on them.

He is an opponent of a ban on hunting.

Contact

[e-mail]

House of Commons office: 0207 219 6523