Keith Best Papers,

The collection comprises: correspondence and papers on specific subjects (files 1-83); and correspondence received from constituents (files 84-271).
A letter, 1980, writen by Keith Best to the Secretary of State for Wales, Nicholas Edwards, was donated by Rhys Evans, Cardiff, in 2002.

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.

Arranged as follows: correspondence and papers on specific subjects; constituency correspondence.

Files 84-271 are under embargo for 75 years (Data Protection Act exemption s.40). Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to abide by the conditions noted on the 'Modern papers - data protection' form issued with their Readers' Tickets.

Keith Best; Donation; 1987
Rhys Evans; Cardiff; Donation; Nov. 2002; 0200213507.

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.

Title supplied from contents of fonds.

A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the National Library of Wales. The catalogue can also be accessed online.

September 2006.

Compiled by J. Graham Jones for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: NLW, List of the Keith Best Papers; Wikipedia, consulted 18 September 2006;

Usual copyright regulations apply.

Action: All records have been retained..

Accruals are not expected.

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales