Charles Falconer, Lord Falconer de Thoroton, în întregime Charles Leslie Falconer, (născut la 19 noiembrie 1951, Edinburgh, Scoția), politician britanic al cărui mandat de lord cancelar (2003-2007) a fost marcat de reforma sistemului juridic al Regatului Unit.
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Oameni de distincție englezi: fapt sau ficțiune?
Henric al VIII-lea a avut 10 neveste.
Falconer a fost educat la Trinity College, Glenalmond (acum Glenalmond College), în Scoția și a studiat dreptul la Universitatea din Cambridge, Queen’s College. În calitate de băiat, el a făcut cunoștință cu Tony Blair (viitorul prim-ministru al Regatului Unit), iar în anii 1960, cei doi chiar au concurat până în prezent pentru aceeași tânără. Până în 1976, ambii tineri barmaniști lucrau în aceeași clădire. Blair s-a mutat în apartamentul lui Falconer din sudul Londrei pentru o perioadă și amândoi au activat în aceeași filială locală a Partidului Muncii.
În anii 1980, după ce Blair a intrat în politică, Falconer a continuat să urmeze o carieră juridică de succes, specializându-se în drept comercial. Cei doi au rămas aproape; și-au cumpărat case lângă Islington în nordul Londrei și au luat masa împreună. În 1991, la vârsta neobișnuit de vârstă de 40 de ani, Falconer a fost numit Sfatul Reginei (desemnarea oficială a avocaților seniori). Înainte de alegerile generale din 1997 (cu un guvern al Muncii cu o certitudine aproape după 18 ani în opoziție), a căutat să candideze la Parlament, dar a fost respins pentru că și-a trimis copiii la școlile private cu plata taxelor - ceva care să activeze forța de muncă locală Membrii partidului au deplâns copleșitor.
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).
