Charlie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Falconer of Thoroton
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Studio portrait, 2017
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| In office 12 June 2003 – 28 June 2007 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | The Lord Irvine of Lairg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Jack Straw | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of the House of Lords | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed life peerage 15 May 1997 |
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| Born |
Charles Leslie Falconer
19 November 1951 Edinburgh, Scotland |
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| Political party | Labour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | Hamish, William "Rocco", Rosie, Johnny | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Queens' College, Cambridge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton (born 19 November 1951) is a British politician and barrister (a type of lawyer). He is a member of the Labour Party. He served as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice for Prime Minister Tony Blair from 2003 to 2007.
Falconer was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He studied law at Queens' College, Cambridge. After graduating, he worked as a successful barrister in London. During this time, he was a flatmate of Tony Blair, who would later become Prime Minister.
When Blair became Prime Minister in 1997, he made Falconer a life peer. This gave him the title "Baron Falconer of Thoroton" and a seat in the House of Lords. Falconer then held several important government jobs. These included Solicitor General for England and Wales and various Minister of State roles.
In 2003, Falconer became the Lord Chancellor, one of the oldest and most important jobs in the British government. He was also the first Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs. In 2007, this role was expanded, and he became the first Secretary of State for Justice. He left the government when Gordon Brown became Prime Minister in June 2007.
Later, Falconer served in the Shadow Cabinet. This is a team of politicians from the main opposition party who "shadow" the government ministers. He was the Shadow Justice Secretary and later the Shadow Attorney General.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Charles Leslie Falconer was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 19 November 1951. His father, John Leslie Falconer, was a solicitor (another type of lawyer). His grandfather, John Ireland Falconer, was once the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, which is similar to being the mayor.
Falconer went to school at the Edinburgh Academy and Trinity College, Glenalmond. He then went to Queens' College, Cambridge, to study law.
In the late 1970s, he shared a flat in London with Tony Blair. Both were young barristers starting their careers. While Blair focused on politics, Falconer focused on law. He became a Queen's Counsel in 1991. This is a special title given to very experienced and respected barristers.
Political Career
Becoming a Lord
Shortly after Tony Blair became Prime Minister in 1997, Falconer was made a life peer. This meant he became Baron Falconer of Thoroton and could sit in the House of Lords. The House of Lords is one of the two parts of the UK Parliament. Unlike the House of Commons, its members are appointed, not elected.
His first government job was Solicitor General. This is one of the government's top law officers.
Ministerial Roles
In 1998, Falconer became the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office. He was put in charge of the Millennium Dome project after another minister resigned. The Dome was a large building in London created to celebrate the year 2000. It was not as popular as hoped, and Falconer faced criticism.
After the 2001 election, he became the minister responsible for housing and planning. In 2002, he moved to the Home Office, where he worked on criminal justice and law reform.
Serving in the Cabinet
Lord Chancellor
In 2003, Falconer was appointed to the Cabinet as the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs. The Cabinet is the team of the most senior ministers in the government. He also became the Lord Chancellor.
The government wanted to change the role of the Lord Chancellor. For centuries, the Lord Chancellor was a judge, the head of the judiciary, and a government minister. The government felt that having one person do all these jobs was no longer suitable.
Falconer was the last person to hold the traditional powers of the Lord Chancellor. He chose not to act as a judge or wear the historic robes and wig. He thought the title would be abolished, but it was kept with a new, modern role.
Freedom of Information Act
As a minister, Falconer worked with the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This law gives the public the right to ask for information from government bodies. Falconer's department considered changes to the law. They wanted to make it easier for the government to refuse requests that were very expensive or time-consuming to answer.
However, after consulting with the public, the government decided not to go ahead with these changes.
Later Career
When Gordon Brown became Prime Minister in 2007, Falconer left the government. Jack Straw took over his roles.
In 2009, Falconer suggested that the Labour Party should discuss its leadership. He felt the party needed a change to unite and succeed.
In 2014, he introduced a bill in the House of Lords about assisted dying. The bill aimed to allow adults with a terminal illness and less than six months to live the choice to end their life with medical help.
From 2015 to 2016, he returned to the front lines of politics as the Shadow Secretary of State for Justice. He served under acting leader Harriet Harman and then Jeremy Corbyn. He was later the Shadow Attorney General for Keir Starmer from 2020 to 2021.
Personal Life
Falconer married Marianna Catherine Thoroton Hildyard in 1985. She is also a lawyer and is now a judge. They have four children: Hamish, William, Rosie, and Johnny. In the 2024 general election, his son Hamish was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Lincoln.
The family has a home in London and a country house in Thoroton, Nottinghamshire.
Falconer has been involved with various organisations. He was the chairman of Cambridge University Amnesty International and is a director of Sudan Divestment. He is also chairman of a social enterprise called Liberty Kitchen, which helps people at Pentonville Prison.
Arms
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