Si Charles Falconer, Lord Falconer ng Thoroton, sa buong Charles Leslie Falconer, (ipinanganak noong Nobyembre 19, 1951, Edinburgh, Scotland), pulitiko ng British na ang termino bilang chancellor ng panginoon (2003–07) ay minarkahan ng reporma sa ligal na sistema ng United Kingdom.
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Si Henry VIII ay may 10 asawa.
Edukado si Falconer sa Trinity College, Glenalmond (ngayon ay Glenalmond College), sa Scotland at nag-aral ng batas sa University of Cambridge, Queen's College. Bilang isang batang lalaki, nakilala niya ang Tony Blair (hinaharap na punong ministro ng United Kingdom), at noong 1960 ay ang dalawa pa ay nakipagkumpitensya hanggang sa parehong binata. Sa pamamagitan ng 1976 pareho silang mga batang barrister na nagtatrabaho sa iisang gusali. Lumipat si Blair sa apartment ng Falconer sa timog London sa loob ng isang panahon, at kapwa naging aktibo sa parehong lokal na sangay ng Labor Party.
Noong 1980s, matapos na pumasok sa politika si Blair, nagpatuloy si Falconer sa isang matagumpay na ligal na karera, na dalubhasa sa komersyal na batas. Ang dalawa ay nanatiling malapit; bumili sila ng mga bahay na malapit sa isa't isa sa Islington sa hilaga London at madalas na kumain ng magkasama. Noong 1991, sa hindi pangkaraniwang batang edad na 40, si Falconer ay itinalaga ng Counsel ng Queen (ang opisyal na pagtatalaga ng mga senior barrister). Sa unahan ng pangkalahatang halalan sa 1997 (na may gobyerno ng Labour malapit nang katiyakan pagkatapos ng 18 taon na pagsalungat), hinahangad niyang tumakbo para sa Parliament, ngunit siya ay tinalikuran dahil ipinadala niya ang kanyang mga anak sa mga pribadong paaralan na nagbabayad ng bayad - isang bagay na aktibong lokal na Labor Ang mga miyembro ng Partido ay labis na naubos.
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).
