Ken Macdonald
Warden of Wadham College, Oxford | |
---|---|
In office 2012–2021 | |
Preceded by | Neil Chalmers |
Succeeded by | Robert Hannigan |
Director of Public Prosecutions | |
In office 2003–2008 | |
Preceded by | David Calvert-Smith |
Succeeded by | Sir Keir Starmer |
Personal details | |
Born | Kenneth Donald John Macdonald 4 January 1953 academic administrator |
Kenneth Donald John Macdonald, Baron Macdonald of River Glaven,
Early life
Kenneth Donald John Macdonald was born on 4 January 1953 in
Career
Barrister
Macdonald was
Director of Public Prosecutions
In August 2003 it was announced that Macdonald would succeed
As DPP, Macdonald established the Counter Terrorism Division, the Organised Crime Division, the Special Crime Division and the Fraud Prosecution Service. In office, he often took positions which were critical of the government. For example, he opposed ministers' rhetoric around the "War on Terror", preferring to see terrorist attacks in the UK as law enforcement issues. He was prominent in criticising government attempts to extend pre-charge detention to 42 days, arguing that due process protections should not be undermined and that the reform was unnecessary. Near the end of his term, leaders in The Guardian and The Times strongly supported his record in office.[17][18] In his last month in office he warned against excessive use of surveillance powers being introduced by the government, saying: "We should be careful to imagine the world we are creating before we build it. We might end up living with something we cannot bear."[19]
He was awarded a knighthood in the 2007 New Year Honours.[20][21]
Later career
Macdonald retired as DPP on 31 October 2008, returning to private practice at Matrix Chambers and becoming a regular contributor to The Times, where he writes on law, security and politics.[22][23] He was succeeded in the office by future Labour leader Keir Starmer. In 2009, he was appointed a Visiting Professor of Law at the London School of Economics.[24] In 2010, he became a Deputy High Court Judge and a member of the Advisory Board of the Centre for Criminology at the University of Oxford.[25]
On 14 December 2009, Macdonald wrote an article in
On 28 May 2010,
In January 2011, it was announced that Macdonald was to succeed the late
In October 2020, he said that the
Personal life
In 1980, he married Linda Zuck,[2] a television producer for production company Illuminations based in Islington. They have two sons and a daughter, and three granddaughters.[2]
References
- Crown Copyright). Retrieved 12 October 2007.
- ^ a b c Who's Who, MACDONALD, Sir Kenneth (Donald John) (subscription required for online version)
- ^ "Birthdays". The Guardian. 4 January 2008. Archived from the original (Archive service requires subscription) on 5 January 2008. Retrieved 8 January 2008. Alt URL
- The Salisbury Journal. 4 January 2007. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
- St Edmund Hallwebsite. St Edmund Hall. 2007. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
- ^ a b c d e Clare Dyer (10 February 2004). "Prosecutor or protector?". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
- Bar Council. 2007. Retrieved 9 January 2008.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "No. 54736". The London Gazette. 15 April 1997. p. 4476.
- ^ "No. 56414". The London Gazette. 11 December 2001. p. 14589.
- ^ a b c Sparrow, Andrew (11 August 2003). "Cherie's colleague is named as DPP". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 21 October 2003. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
- ^ Brogan, Benedict (5 August 2003). "Cherie's 'crony' not fit to be DPP, says Howard". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2008.
- ^ "Hansard, Written answers, Director of Public Prosecutions". Hansard. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 17 September 2003. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
- ^ Spy (14 August 2003). "New DPP had drugs conviction at Oxford". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 7 January 2008. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
- ^ Pannick, David (2 September 2003). "Why tabloids' silly campaign against the DPP is so wrong". The Times. London. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
- ^ Verkaik, Robert (3 November 2003). "Sir David Calvert-Smith: The butler, his evidence and a delicate issue of calling the Queen as a criminal case witness". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 29 November 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
- ^ Verkaik, Robert (2 September 2003). "Public persecution". The Independent. London. Retrieved 9 January 2008.[dead link]
- ^ Leader (25 January 2007). "In praise of ... Sir Ken Macdonald". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
- ^ Leader (31 October 2008). "Crime and Prosecution; Sir Ken Macdonald has transformed the Crown Prosecution Service". The Times. p. 2.
- ^ Gibb, Frances (21 October 2008). "DPP chief Sir Ken Macdonald attacks Big Brother state surveillance". The Times. London. Retrieved 22 October 2008.
- ^ "No. 58196". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2006. p. 1.
- ^ "No. 58424". The London Gazette. 17 August 2007. p. 12003.
- ^ Gibb, Frances (26 July 2008). "Human rights lawyer Keir Starmer named as new prosecution service chief". The Times. London. Retrieved 4 August 2008.
- ^ "Articles by Sir Ken Macdonald". Journalisted. Media Standards Trust. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
- ^ "Staff". LSE Department of Law. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
- ^ "Governance". Centre for Criminology—University of Oxford. Archived from the original on 21 October 2010. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
- ^ MacDonald, Ken (14 December 2009). "Intoxicated by power, Blair tricked us into war—The members of the Chilcot Inquiry have a choice: they can be loyal to the Establishment or they can expose the subterfuge". The Times. London. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
- ^ "Peerages, honours and appointments", Number10.gov.uk—The official site of the Prime Minister's Office, 28 May 2010, retrieved 11 June 2010
- ^ "No. 59459". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 June 2010. p. 11151.
- ^ "No. 59489". The London Gazette. 15 July 2010. p. 13485.
- ^ "Rapid review of counter-terrorism powers". Home Office. 13 July 2010. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
- ^ a b c "News". Matrix Chambers.
- ^ "Ken Macdonald QC to become Reprieve's new Chair".
- ^ "News". wadham.ox.ac.uk. 2011. Archived from the original on 6 September 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ "Robert Hannigan nominated as next Warden" (Press release). Wadham College, Oxford. 17 May 2021. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ "Ken Macdonald QC becomes new Chair of the Orwell Prize". The Orwell Foundation.
- ^ Adams, Richard (7 February 2016). "Anti-terror laws risk 'chilling effect' on academic debate – Oxford college head". theguardian.com. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- ^ "The Howard League | Howard League announces new President". The Howard League.
- ^ Hamilton, Fiona (5 October 2020). "Call to rein in law that lets MI5 informants commit crimes". The Times. Retrieved 6 October 2020.