Alan Beith

Liberal Democrat MP Berwick-upon-Tweed

Date of birth

20 April 1943

Political profile

Alan Beith won Berwick-upon-Tweed from the Tories by 57 votes in a 1973 by-election and has held it ever since, having increased his majority to over 8,000 at the last election.

Unsurprisingly, as a long-serving member of a fairly small party, he has held many senior positions including chief whip, treasury spokesman and home affairs spokesman; though currently he is not in the front bench team.

He stood against Paddy Ashdown for the party leadership in 1988 but was comfortably beaten.

He has a socially conservative outlook, especially for a Liberal Democrat.

His views are heavily informed by his Methodism (he is a lay preacher). He is a pro-life, anti-smoking, anti-drinking, anti-Sunday trading campaigner.

He is regarded as a solid and hard-working, if slightly uncharismatic, member of the Commons.

In 2001, he married former Lib Dem President Baroness Diana Maddock.

Contact

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Constituency office 01665 602901