Charles Falconer, Lord Falconer von Thoroton, in vollem Umfang Charles Leslie Falconer (* 19. November 1951 in Edinburgh, Schottland), britischer Politiker, dessen Amtszeit als Lordkanzler (2003–07) von einer Reform des Rechtssystems des Vereinigten Königreichs geprägt war.
Quiz
Englische Männer der Unterscheidung: Fakt oder Fiktion?
Heinrich VIII. Hatte 10 Frauen.
Falconer wurde am Trinity College in Glenalmond (heute Glenalmond College) in Schottland ausgebildet und studierte Rechtswissenschaften an der University of Cambridge am Queen's College. Als Junge lernte er Tony Blair (künftigen Premierminister des Vereinigten Königreichs) kennen, und in den 1960er Jahren traten die beiden sogar gegen dieselbe junge Frau an. 1976 waren beide junge Rechtsanwälte im selben Gebäude. Blair zog eine Zeit lang in Falconers Wohnung in Südlondon und beide wurden in derselben Zweigstelle der Labour Party aktiv.
In den 1980er Jahren, nachdem Blair in die Politik eingetreten war, setzte Falconer seine erfolgreiche juristische Karriere fort und spezialisierte sich auf Handelsrecht. Die beiden blieben nahe; Sie kauften Häuser in der Nähe in Islington im Norden Londons und aßen oft zusammen. 1991, im ungewöhnlich jungen Alter von 40 Jahren, wurde Falconer zum Queen's Counsel (der offiziellen Bezeichnung der Senior Barristers) ernannt. Vor den Parlamentswahlen 1997 (mit einer Labour-Regierung, die nach 18 Jahren Opposition fast sicher war) wollte er für das Parlament kandidieren, wurde jedoch abgelehnt, weil er seine Kinder in private kostenpflichtige Schulen schickte - etwas, das die lokale Arbeit aktiv machte Parteimitglieder überwiegend bedauert.
Following Labour’s return to power in that election, Blair arranged for a life peerage for his old friend and appointed him solicitor general. In 1998 Falconer was moved to the Cabinet Office, where he came to public attention as the minister responsible for the controversial Millennium Dome. He defended a project that many considered indefensible with good humour, a stance that evoked admiration and criticism in equal measure. After brief terms as housing minister (2001) and minister for criminal justice (2002–03), on June 12, 2003, Falconer was named to the post of lord chancellor. On the same day, Blair announced the abolition of that position (first created in 605) and its replacement by the role of secretary of state for constitutional affairs. Falconer, as the 259th and last lord chancellor, as well as the first constitutional affairs secretary, was given the task of introducing the legislation for the change. Within Parliament and the legal profession, there was widespread support in principle for reform. New measures would finally separate politics and the judiciary and end the ability of a government minister to appoint senior judges. Blair’s appointment of his friend badly weakened the impact of a reform designed to curb patronage, but Falconer himself attracted little criticism—his skills, integrity, and easygoing style were admired across the political spectrum.
The reforms overseen by Falconer included the creation of a new supreme court. Although he ultimately failed to abolish the position of the lord chancellor, it was redefined by constitutional reform in 2006: the lord chief justice took over many of the judicial aspects of the role, and the lord chancellor was no longer to serve as speaker of the House of Lords. Falconer also dealt with interpretation of the Human Rights Act in regard to treatment of those suspected of terrorist activities—a controversial issue in the wake of the 2005 bombings of London’s Underground train system.
In May 2007, after the short-lived post of constitutional affairs secretary was abolished, Falconer became secretary of state for justice. A month later, after Gordon Brown became prime minister, Falconer was replaced by Jack Straw. Falconer took a position with a private American firm, wrote articles, and frequently appeared as a radio commentator. He also became chair of the John Smith Memorial Trust, honouring the late Labour Party leader. During Conservative David Cameron’s tenure as prime minister, Falconer served as shadow spokesman for justice (2010–15), shadow spokesman for constitutional and deputy priministerial issues (2011–15), and shadow lord chancellor and shadow secretary of state for justice (2015–16).
