Keith Best (Q62385)

Keith Lander Best (born 10 June 1949) was Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Anglesey from 1979 (when he gained the seat from Labour) to 1983, and for (the renamed) Ynys Mon from 1983 to 1987. He was personal assistant to Nicholas Edwards, the Secretary of State for Wales, from 1981 to 1984. Best was born in Brighton and educated at Keble College, Oxford, before becoming a barrister in 1973. He served in the Territorial Army 1967-87 and as a Brighton Borough councillor 1976-80. After his election to Parliament, Best's reputation began to suffer when he was involved in a road accident in which his personal assistant was killed, although he was cleared of responsibility for the crash. He eventually stood down after admitting share-cheating. He was sentenced to four months' imprisonment for this in October 1987, although this sentence was quashed after he had served five days. His successor as MP for Ynys Mon was Plaid Cymru candidate Ieuan Wyn Jones. In 2000, Best failed in a bid for re-selection by the Conservative Party in Anglesey. He was director of Prisoners Abroad 1989-93. In 1993, he became chief executive of the Immigration Advisory Service. In 2003, he was named by The Guardian as one of the 100 most influential people in public services in the UK.