Alistair Graham

For other people named Alistair Graham, see Alistair Graham (disambiguation).

Sir John Alistair Graham (born 6 August 1942) is a British trade unionist who was Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life from 2003 until April 2007.[1]

He was born in Northumberland, and was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development and the Institute of Training and Development. He has been a visiting Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford (1984–1991). He has Honorary Doctorates from the Open University and from Bradford University. He was appointed (Knight Bachelor) in the 2000 New Year Honours for services to the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland.[2]

Sir Alistair has had a long and varied career in public service. Between 1966 and 1986 he worked for the trade union, the Civil and Public Services Association (CPSA) as Assistant Secretary, Assistant General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary and, finally, General Secretary.[3] His next post was as Chief Executive of the Industrial Society (now renamed The Work Foundation) between 1986 and 1991, after which he became Chief Executive of Calderdale and Kirklees Training and Enterprise Council (1991–1996), then of the Leeds Training and Enterprise Council (1996–2000). During this latter period he also served as Chairman of the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland (1997–2000).[4] Between 2000 and 2004 he was Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority (later the Independent Police Complaints Commission).[4] Between 2004 and 2007 he was Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life.[5]

In 2006 he became Chairman of ICSTIS (later PhonepayPlus), a regulatory body for premium rate phone-paid services.[6][7]

Graham criticised Rishi Sunak appointing Suella Braverman as Home Secretary in 2022, Graham said “Normally the prime minister would have consulted a ministerial adviser for advice. A breach of the ministerial code is seen as a serious matter and would make any minister an inappropriate appointment to one of the four most senior positions in government.”[8]

  1. ^ "PhonepayPlus Board - Sir Alistair Graham". Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2008.
  2. ^ "No. 55710". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1999. p. 2.
  3. ^ Wigham, Eric (1980). From Humble Petition to Militant Action. Civil and Public Services Association. ISBN 9780901411051.
  4. ^ a b "Police Complaints Authority". Hansard House of Lords. UK Parliament. 31 January 2000. Retrieved 6 May 2021. ...Her Majesty the Queen has approved the appointment of Sir Alistair Graham as Chair of the Police Complaints Authority ... Sir Alistair previously served as Chairman of the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland since 1997. He will take up his post on 1 April 2000 and the appointment is for three years initially.
  5. ^ "No 10 names new standards chief". BBC News. 22 April 2004. Retrieved 6 May 2021. Downing Street has named Sir Alistair Graham as the new chairman of the committee on standards in public life.
  6. ^ "Sir Alistair Graham". Hansard House of Commons. UK Parliament. 19 July 2006. Retrieved 6 May 2021. Sir Alistair Graham was appointed as Chairman of ICSTIS on 2 February 2006. Sir Alistair took up his appointment on 1 June 2006 and he receives an annual salary of £45,000.
  7. ^ "Sleazebuster finds himself thrust into the television spotlight". The Times. 12 May 2007. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  8. ^ Outcry over Suella Braverman’s return as home secretary The Guardian