Waheed Alli

Waheed Alli

Waheed Alli, Baron Alli (born November 16, 1964 in Croydon , London ) is a British media entrepreneur and politician. Alli is a co-founder of the Planet 24 media company , a television production company. He was also chairman of Carlton Television Productions . As a politician, Alli belongs to the Labor Party and is a life peer member of the British House of Lords .

Origin and education

His parents come from Indian families who settled in the Caribbean as part of the British Empire . His mother was a nurse in Trinidad and Tobago and his father was a mechanic in Guyana . His mother is Hindu , his father a Muslim . Alli himself was born in London and attended Norbury Manor School in Croydon and Stanley Technical College in South Norwood .

Career path as an entrepreneur

After graduating from high school, Alli started working for a financial magazine and worked his way up in Robert Maxwell's media business . He then started a second professional career and started working as an investment banker where he managed to make a fortune.

In the mid-1980s, he met his partner Charlie Parsons , with whom he currently lives.

Alli started his third professional career in the television industry, where he first gained public attention in the UK. Alli and Parson started 24 Hours Productions , which became the most talked about television program in the UK . 1992, the company Alli and Parsons merged with the company Planet Pictures of Bob Geldof . The merged company was named Planet 24 . The company rose to become the UK's largest television production company in the 1990s. The company became the largest independent "supplier" to the television station Channel Four . Planet 24 pioneered new genre television programs such as Gaytime TV , Big Breakfast and Survivor . In March 1999, Carlton Television bought Planet 24 for £ 15 million. Alli remained on the board of directors at Carlton Television for a year ; he left the company afterwards. In 2003 Alli took over the chairmanship of the media company Chorion , which holds the rights to the authors Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie . In addition, Alli is chairman of Asos and director of Olga Television (production company for entertainer Paul O'Grady, among others ). Alli also holds shares in the media company Shine Limited , which he founded in March 2001 with Elisabeth Murdoch , the daughter of media magnate Rupert Murdoch . In March 2007 Alli was appointed non-executive director of SMG .

Career as a politician

On June 19, 1998, Alli was named Baron Alli , of Norbury in the London Borough of Croydon , a Life Peer . Alli became the youngest and first openly gay peer in the House of Lords with his appointment. Through Alli, Prime Minister Tony Blair achieved greater access for his party to the younger generation in the UK, and Alli has been part of Tony's cronies ever since. Alli is a member of the Labor Party in the House of Lords, where he campaigned for LGBT rights and the introduction of the Civil Union . During this time, Labor achieved the equalization of the age of consent for homosexuals from 18 to 16 years. During parliamentary disputes in the House of Lords, there were fierce speeches with individual conservative members. In a speech duel in April 1999 in the House of Lords, Alli said: “I was never confused about my sexuality. I have become confused about the way I will be treated as a result of this. The only confusion lies in the prejudice highlighted, partly in Parliament this evening, and largely enshrined in law. ”Alli was also a champion in the House of Lords for the repeal of Section 28 . Alli influenced the Communications Bill in 2003 .

International Alli is one of the few openly gay living known Muslims .

Private engagement

Alli is President of the Croydon Youth Development Trust . Croydon is a district in south London. Alli was the main speaker at the 2006 Outgames International Conference on LGBT Human Rights in Montreal . In 2002 Alli became patron of The Albert Kennedy Trust Foundation . This foundation helps young LGBT people in the UK. Alli is Chancellor of DeMontfort University in Leicester .

Literature and web links

• Charles Mosley (Ed.): Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage . Volume 1, Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, Wilmington 2003, p. 83.
• Mr Waheed Alli at Hansard (English)
• Announcement of his introduction at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, July 21, 1998

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Article on BBC
2. ↑ Knittingcircle ( Memento of the original from March 7, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
3. ↑ Knittingcircle ( Memento of the original from March 7, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
4. ↑ Article in the Guardian
5. ↑ Article in the Guardian
6. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1047062.stm
7. ↑ - ( Memento of the original from September 27, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
8. ↑ I have never been confused about my sexuality. I have been confused about the way I am treated as a result of it. The only confusion lies in the prejudice shown, some of it tonight in the house, and much of it enshrined in the law. Article on BBC
9. ↑ Article on Gmax
10. ↑ Asianmedia ( Memento of the original from March 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
11. ↑ - ( Memento of the original from June 20, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.