Charles Falconer, Lord Falconer dari Thoroton, secara penuh Charles Leslie Falconer, (lahir 19 November 1951, Edinburgh, Skotlandia), politisi Inggris yang masa jabatannya sebagai tuan kanselir (2003-07) ditandai dengan reformasi sistem hukum Inggris Raya.
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Pria Perbedaan Bahasa Inggris: Fakta atau Fiksi?
Henry VIII memiliki 10 istri.
Falconer menempuh pendidikan di Trinity College, Glenalmond (sekarang Glenalmond College), di Skotlandia dan belajar hukum di University of Cambridge, Queen's College. Sebagai seorang bocah lelaki, ia berkenalan dengan Tony Blair (calon perdana menteri Inggris), dan pada 1960-an keduanya bahkan berkompetisi untuk berkencan dengan wanita muda yang sama. Pada 1976 mereka berdua pengacara muda yang bekerja di gedung yang sama. Blair pindah ke apartemen Falconer di London selatan untuk sementara waktu, dan keduanya menjadi aktif di cabang lokal Partai Buruh yang sama.
Pada 1980-an, setelah Blair memasuki dunia politik, Falconer terus mengejar karier hukum yang sukses, dengan spesialisasi dalam hukum komersial. Keduanya tetap dekat; mereka membeli rumah di dekat satu sama lain di Islington di London utara dan sering makan bersama. Pada tahun 1991, pada usia 40 tahun yang luar biasa muda, Falconer diangkat menjadi Queen's Counsel (penunjukan resmi pengacara senior). Menjelang pemilihan umum 1997 (dengan pemerintahan Partai Buruh yang hampir pasti setelah 18 tahun dalam oposisi), ia berusaha mencalonkan diri untuk Parlemen, tetapi ia ditolak karena ia mengirim anak-anaknya ke sekolah-sekolah swasta yang membayar biaya — sesuatu yang Buruh lokal aktif Anggota partai sangat menyesal.
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).
