Emily Thornberry

About this episode

The episode features Dame Emily Thornberry discussing her life and role as chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee amidst ongoing investigations.

Dame Emily Thornberry, Labour MP and the influential head of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, is in the hot seat as the committee continues its ongoing investigation - dubbed ‘Scandelson’ scrutinising - into the circumstances behind Lord Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador. Born in Guildford in 1960 her mother was a teacher and her father an academic who would go on to be a UN Assistant Secretary General. When Emily was seven her father walked out on the family leaving her mother with no income and three children to look after. They were made homeless and moved to a council estate. After A Levels she studied law and qualified as a barrister in the mid 80s and spent 20 years as a human rights barrister at the chambers of Michael Mansfield KC. She was first elected as a Labour MP in 2005. She has since been re-elected 5 times and held a number of Shadow Cabinet positions including Defence, Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Attorney General. But when Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister to many people’s surprise there was no ministerial job for Emily. Now, as chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, she has the power to scrutinise…

People in this episode

Host: Mark Coles

Guest: Dame Emily Thornberry

Topics covered

• politics
• biography
• government scrutiny
• human rights
• Labour Party

Keywords

• Emily Thornberry
• House of Commons
• Foreign Affairs
• Labour MP
• human rights barrister

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Labour, House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, UN

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