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Reunion class chair - Keir Hopley
A bit about me
I was at LSE from 1979-83 doing a BSc Econ degree in the Government
Department. I was joint editor of The Beaver 1980-81 with Simon
Garfield, who went on to be a real journalist; and senior treasurer of
the Students’ Union 1981-82. Steve Pound was general secretary for most
of the year and Nic Newman was social secretary for all of it.
Having left LSE, I went into the
graduate fast stream of the Civil Service and have been a civil servant
ever since. I have spent most of my career in the Home Office before
becoming a founder member of the Ministry of Justice in 2007. I was
promoted to the Senior Civil Service in 2001 and am currently deputy
director responsible for criminal law and legal policy in the Ministry’s
Justice Policy Group.
Outside the office, my main
interest is cricket, which I umpire up to county 2nd XI level (the
highest possible without its being a full time job) and am chairman of
the Middlesex County League Umpires’ Panel. I maintain my contact with
university cricket through managing the ULU side. I retired as chairman
of British Universities Cricket two years ago after a long stint.
Why I am proud to be an
alumnus of LSE
For me, LSE is a magical place. Scruffy in appearance and cramped in
aspect (perhaps slightly less so these days than when I was a student)
it possesses a unique intellectual and multi-cultural atmosphere. Every
thought in the social sciences that is worth having can be had in
Houghton Street. I was taught by some fascinating people (Bob McKenzie,
George Jones, Ken Minogue et al) and had the opportunity to develop my
mind and my personality. I made friends at LSE whom I still see
regularly some 30 years later.
The reunion
This is an opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with the School. For
those like me who live in London, there may be some contact still. But
this is an opportunity for us all to rekindle friendships and relive
memories, as well as seeing how the old place has developed and
expanded. I hope that as many alumni of the period as possible will find
it possible to come to London and I look forward to seeing everyone
there.
Keir Hopley (BSc
Government 1983) | 
