David Alton
A Liverpool politician who crossed the floor from Liberal Democrat to crossbench peer, becoming a tireless independent advocate for human rights and the unborn.
Born 1951 (age 75)·British politician·Birthday: March 15·Baby Boomers
Biography
David Alton's political journey is one of principled independence, shaped by his Catholic faith and roots in Liverpool. Elected as Britain's youngest MP in 1979 for the Liberal Party, he represented a Liverpool constituency for 18 years, witnessing the city's social struggles firsthand. His politics were always driven by conscience, most famously in his long-standing campaign against abortion, which often put him at odds with party lines. This independent streak culminated in his move to the crossbenches of the House of Lords in 1997. From this neutral ground, Lord Alton of Liverpool has built a second career as a formidable campaigner, co-founding charities like Jubilee Action and focusing international attention on human rights abuses from China to Sudan. He operates as a moral entrepreneur, using his platform to champion causes he believes are overlooked by mainstream politics.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
David was born in 1951, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1951
#1 Movie
Quo Vadis
Best Picture
An American in Paris
#1 TV Show
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1951Born
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1956Started school
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1964Became a teenager
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Could drive
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1969Could vote
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Turned 21
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1981Turned 30
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 40
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 50
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 60
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 70
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 75 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the Member of Parliament for Liverpool Edge Hill and later Liverpool Mossley Hill from 1979 to 1997.
- Was instrumental in passing the 1988 'Alton Amendment', which sought to lower the legal time limit for abortions in the UK.
- Co-founded the children's charity Jubilee Action, which works to support vulnerable children internationally.
- Has served as a crossbench life peer in the House of Lords since 1997, focusing on human rights and pro-life issues.
Did You Know?
He was only 28 years old when first elected to Parliament in 1979.
He is a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great and a Knight Commander of the Order of Mercy, papal and British honours respectively.
He taught at a secondary school in Toxteth, Liverpool, before entering politics.
He is a published author, writing books on politics, faith, and human rights.
“Politics must be about the defense of the powerless and the common good.”
