Basil Wigoder

Basil Wigoder

Basil Thomas Wigoder, Baron Wigoder QC (12 February 1921 – 12 August 2004) was a politician and barrister in the United Kingdom.

Wigoder was born in Manchester and studied at Manchester Grammar School, then read modern history at Oriel College, Oxford. During World War II, he served in the Royal Artillery.^[1] At the end of the war, he stood for the Liberal Party in Bournemouth at the 1945 general election, taking second place, then stood again at the Bournemouth by-election, later in the year, falling to third.^[2] He then returned to Oxford, where he served as President of the Oxford Union, before joining Gray's Inn.^[1]

Wigoder appeared in a number of high-profile trials, including Willcock v Muckle, concerning identity cards,^[2] the prosecution of Anthony Reuter, the defence of George Wigg from a charge of kerb crawling, Francis Bacon from a charge of possessing cannabis, Jonathan Aitken from accusations of leaking classified information,^[1] and the Earl of Snowdon from a charge of dangerous driving.^[2]

Wigoder remained prominent in Liberal politics, standing in Westbury in 1959 and 1964, without success. He was the Chairman of the Liberal Party in 1963, and on 16 May 1974 was created a life peer taking the title Baron Wigoder, of Cheetham in the City of Manchester,^[3] serving as the Liberal Chief Whip in the Lords from 1977 until 1984, then as party spokesperson on Home Affairs and the Health Service.^[1]

From 1972 until 1984, Wigoder served as Recorder of the Crown Court. He was also a founder of the Criminal Bar Association, sole chairman of the Health Services Board, and the chairman of the British United Provident Association (Bupa).^[1]

His children are Charles Wigoder, Giles Wigoder, Justin Wigoder and Carolyn Wigoder

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