Brian Mackenzie, Baron Mackenzie of Framwellgate

Brian Mackenzie, Baron Mackenzie of Framwellgate, OBE (born 21 March 1943) is a British Labour member of the House of Lords and a former President of the Police Superindendents Association. In 2013, it is alleged that Mackenzie offered to lobby for a firm in return for cash against parliamentary rules. He was consequently suspended from the Labour Party pending an inquiry.^[1]

Early life

Mackenzie was born in Darlington, and educated at Eastbourne Boys School. After joining the police studied Law at the University of London.

Career

Mackenzie rose through the ranks of the police service, becoming a Superintendent upon secondment to the Home Office and later becoming Chief Superintendent in the Durham Constabulary.^[2] A graduate of the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia, he was active in the Police Superintendents' Association and was its President for three years. He was a special adviser on policing issues to the Home Secretary, Jack Straw, from 1997 to 2001. He describes his proudest achievements as his instigation of the idea of a register of sex offenders; the abolition of the right to hide behind silence when interviewed regarding serious crime and the change in the law relating to Double Jeopardy.

Politics

In 1998, Mackenzie was raised to the Peerage as Baron Mackenzie of Framwellgate, of Durham in the County of Durham.^[3] In the House of Lords, Mackenzie has been most active in speaking on issues relating to crime and policing issues. He published his memoir, "Two Lives of Brian - from Policing to Politics" in 2004. [Published by The Memoir Club]

Following a finding in December 2013 by the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards that he had broken the House of Lords Code of Conduct, Lord Mackenzie was suspended from the House for 6 months.

In a statement on 16 December 2013 (PA NEWS) Lord Mackenzie said he was disappointed with the finding against him and apologised for any unwitting breach of the rules. "I would remind people that it was me that referred the matter to the Lords standards commissioner in the first place following the publication of the interview after entrapment by bogus consultants," he said in a statement. "There was no financial gain by me and all of this resulted from a 45-minute conversation which was not instigated by me. "The House of Lords is a self-regulating chamber and of course I fully accept their findings in this case. I have apologised for any unwitting breach of the rules of the House. "Lessons have clearly been learned by me from the fraudulent interview and the conversation with the undercover reporters ended with me asking them to write to me outlining what we had discussed and that I would consider it further. "I would suggest that this was not a request that would be made by someone intending to break the rules. "I am proud to be a member of the House of Lords and look forward to continuing my participation in the work of Parliament when I resume my seat in the New Year."

Honours and awards

He held the historical and honorary appointment of Billet Master of the City of Durham between 1989 and 2003. He was made an Honorary Member of the Rotary Club of Chester-le-Street in 2001.

Mackenzie was appointed OBE in the 1998 New Years Honours for services to the Police Service and the Police Superintendents’ Association of England and Wales.

Personal life

Divorced, he has two sons and four grandchildren.

References

External links

• Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate's web site.
• Durham City Labour Party on Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate's political activities.
• Sunday Sun interview with Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate 14/08/2005
• Chester-le-Street Rotary Club biography of Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate
• Announcement of his introduction at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 20 July 1998
• Two Lives of Brian From Policing to Politics- also available on Amazon Kindle The Memoir Club