Charles Falconer, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, secara lengkap Charles Leslie Falconer, (lahir 19 November 1951, Edinburgh, Scotland), ahli politik Inggeris yang istilahnya sebagai ketua canselor (2003-07) ditandai dengan pembaharuan sistem perundangan Inggeris.
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Henry VIII mempunyai 10 orang isteri.
Falconer mendapat pendidikan di Trinity College, Glenalmond (sekarang Glenalmond College), di Scotland dan belajar undang-undang di University of Cambridge, Queen's College. Sebagai seorang budak lelaki, dia berkenalan dengan Tony Blair (perdana menteri masa depan Inggeris), dan pada tahun 1960-an kedua-duanya bertanding untuk berkencan dengan wanita muda yang sama. Menjelang tahun 1976 mereka berdua barista muda yang bekerja di bangunan yang sama. Blair pindah ke apartmen Falconer di London selatan untuk sementara waktu, dan kedua-duanya menjadi aktif di cawangan tempatan Parti Buruh yang sama.
Pada tahun 1980-an, setelah Blair memasuki politik, Falconer terus mengejar kerjaya undang-undang yang berjaya, yang mengkhususkan diri dalam undang-undang komersial. Kedua-duanya tetap rapat; mereka membeli rumah berdekatan satu sama lain di Islington di utara London dan sering makan bersama. Pada tahun 1991, pada usia 40 tahun yang luar biasa, Falconer dilantik sebagai Penasihat Ratu (jawatan rasmi pengacara kanan). Menjelang pilihan raya umum 1997 (dengan pemerintahan Buruh hampir pasti setelah 18 tahun menentangnya), dia berusaha mencalonkan diri untuk Parlimen, tetapi dia ditolak kerana dia menghantar anak-anaknya ke sekolah swasta yang membayar yuran — sesuatu yang aktif Buruh tempatan Anggota parti 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).
