Lord Brian Paddick

Brian Paddick was born in Clapham in 1958 and was brought-up in Mitcham, Tooting, and Sutton in South London. He served for over 30 years in the London Metropolitan Police starting as a Constable on the beat in Holloway and serving in Lambeth, Fulham, Lewisham, Croydon, Notting Hill, Merton, and at New Scotland Yard. He rose to the rank of Deputy Assistant Commissioner with day-to-day responsibility for 20,000 police officers, still the highest-ranking officer in any UK police force to be openly gay.

Brian first came to national prominence for his effective, liberal approach to drugs law enforcement and his close working relationship with the African Caribbean community. Subsequently, he also developed close links with the Muslim community in London as a result of being the police spokesperson following the 7 July 2005 London bombings. Brian left the police over the shooting of the innocent Brazilian, Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell by armed officers, giving evidence at the inquest on behalf of the family of the deceased.

In the Liberal Democrats

As a serving police officer, Brian was unable to take an active part in politics. However, soon after leaving the police he was selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London in 2008, working with party members to secure almost a quarter of a million first preference votes.

Since then, Brian has thrown himself into the party. He is a regular sight at party conferences, a member of the Liberty Network and its successor, the Forum Network. In 2008 he was elected number one on the Peers List by Conference Delegates and in 2010 was elected to the London Executive of the Party. He has played an active part in by-election campaigns and made himself available full time during the 2010 General Election, campaigning across London.

In the media

Brian’s public profile has increased significantly since the 2008 election. Most recently, he became one of the first public figures to take on the Murdoch media empire and to challenge corruption in the Metropolitan police. He is a regular contributor on television news and current affairs programmes including the BBC News Channel, Sky News, ITN, Daybreak and BBC Breakfast. He is often to be heard on BBC Radio 4’s The Today Programme, BBC Radio Five Live, LBC and BBC London.

Should Brian be re-selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for London Mayor in 2012, he will run a high profile campaign to get the best possible result for the London Liberal Democrat team.