Charles Falconer, Lord Falconer de Thoroton, en su totalidad Charles Leslie Falconer, (nacido el 19 de noviembre de 1951, Edimburgo, Escocia), político británico cuyo mandato como señor canciller (2003–07) estuvo marcado por la reforma del sistema legal del Reino Unido.
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Falconer se educó en el Trinity College, Glenalmond (ahora Glenalmond College), en Escocia, y estudió derecho en la Universidad de Cambridge, Queen's College. Cuando era niño, conoció a Tony Blair (futuro primer ministro del Reino Unido), y en la década de 1960 los dos incluso compitieron para salir con la misma joven. Para 1976, ambos eran jóvenes abogados trabajando en el mismo edificio. Blair se mudó al departamento de Falconer en el sur de Londres por un tiempo, y ambos se volvieron activos en la misma rama local del Partido Laborista.
En la década de 1980, después de que Blair ingresó a la política, Falconer continuó su exitosa carrera legal, especializándose en derecho comercial. Los dos permanecieron cerca; compraron casas cercanas en Islington, en el norte de Londres, y a menudo cenaron juntas. En 1991, a la edad inusualmente joven de 40 años, Falconer fue nombrado consejero de la reina (la designación oficial de los abogados superiores). Antes de las elecciones generales de 1997 (con un gobierno laborista casi seguro después de 18 años en la oposición), trató de postularse para el Parlamento, pero fue rechazado porque envió a sus hijos a escuelas privadas de pago, algo que activa a los laboristas locales. Los miembros del partido lamentablemente abrumados.
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).
