Alistair McAlpine, Baron McAlpine

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Robert Alistair McAlpine, Baron McAlpine (14 May 1942–), is often known as Alistair McAlpine. He also joined the Sir Robert McAlpine firm and served as a director and Vice-President.

He became a life peer in 1984 as Baron McAlpine of West Green of West Green in the County of Hampshire. In the 1990s he had a high-profile business collapse in Australia.

McAlpine was a prominent Conservative peer, close in his views to Margaret Thatcher. He had been both Treasurer and Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party. In 1996, he defected to James Goldsmith's Referendum Movement and in 1997 became its leader following Goldsmith's death. He sat as an Independent Conservative for some time in the House of Lords before rejoining the Conservatives. He is a bon viveur, patron of the arts and an author.