The barrister-cum-politician holds a key position as the Government’s independent reviewer of terrorism laws. He has spoken out forcefully to express “real concern” over many of the measures drawn up after the July 7 London bombings and also called for the system of control orders to be tightened. The respected Liberal Democrat peer has always had one foot in politics, chairing the Welsh Liberal Party 1980-82 and as leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat Party in 1992-97. He was MP for Montgomery in 1983-97, holding various portfolios and then moved to the Lords in 1999. Among his notable cases at the Bar was successfully defending Paul Burrell, the former butler to Diana, Princess of Wales, on charges of stealing from her estate. The prosecution collapsed dramatically after it emerged that the Queen remembered that he had told her he was taking some of the possessions into his safekeeping. He also acted for a father and son accused of breaching immigration laws by employing illegal immigrants after 21 cockle pickers died at Morecambe Bay in 2004.

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