At the
1970 general election, Irvine unsuccessfully contested
Hendon North as the
Labour Party candidate. A legal adviser to the Party through the 1980s, he was awarded a
life peerage as
Baron Irvine of Lairg, of
Lairg in the District of
Sutherland, on 25 March 1987. Irvine served as
Shadow Lord Chancellor from 1992 to 1997 under Labour leaders
John Smith,
Margaret Beckett, and
Tony Blair. After Labour's election victory in
1997, Blair appointed him as
Lord Chancellor. During Irvine's tenure as Lord Chancellor, he oversaw the incorporation of the
European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. In 2001, Irvine gained further responsibility for constitutional issues including human rights and freedom of information. He notably chose not to wear the officeholder's traditional attire during most of his tenure in the role. Irvine was the last Lord Chancellor to give judgments at the
Appellate Committee of the House of Lords, giving a brief concurring judgment in
AIB Group (UK) Ltd v Martin [2001] UKHL 63. He also gave the last reasoned judgment to be given by a Lord Chancellor, in
Uratemp Ventures Ltd v Collins [2001] UKHL 43. Blair dismissed Irvine from the
Cabinet in June 2003, when he announced his intention to abolish the position of Lord Chancellor. However, the role was not abolished, but was used as a secondary title for the
Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs from 2003 to 2007 and the
Justice Secretary from 2007.
Controversies Irvine was criticised for spending £650,000 of public money to redecorate the Lord Chancellor's residence in 1998. Although renovation responsibility was with the Lords authorities, Irvine defended the cost by stating that the materials would last longer than cheaper products. He was awarded a pay rise of £22,691 in 2003, as a result of a formula designed to keep his salary ahead that of the
Lord Chief Justice. However, he accepted a lower increase following public backlash to the decision. ==Personal life==