The Rt Hon Jack Straw MP
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain and Secretary of State for Justice
Incumbent
Assumed office  28 June 2007
Prime Minister	Gordon Brown
Preceded by	The Lord Falconer of Thoroton
Succeeded by	Incumbent
Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal
In office 6 May 2006 – 27 June 2007
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Geoff Hoon
Succeeded by	Harriet Harman
Foreign Secretary
In office 8 June 2001 – 6 May 2006
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Robin Cook
Succeeded by	Margaret Beckett
Home Secretary
In office 2 May 1997 – 8 June 2001
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Michael Howard
Succeeded by	David Blunkett
Member of Parliament for Blackburn
Incumbent
Assumed office  3 May 1979
Preceded by	Barbara Castle
Majority	8,009 (19.2%)
Born	3 August 1946 (1946-08-03) (age 61) Buckhurst Hill, Essex, England
Nationality	British
Political party	Labour
Alma mater	University of Leeds

John Whitaker Straw (born 3 August 1946) is a senior British Labour Party politician. On 28 June 2007 he was appointed to the offices of Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain and Secretary of State for Justice. ^[1] Jack Straw is the name of: Jack Straw (John Whitaker Straw), a former British Foreign Secretary, currently Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain and Secretary of State for Justice, reputedly named after the rebel leader. ... The Right Honourable (abbreviated Rt Hon, The Rt Hon, The Right Hon, Right Hon) is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and in other Commonwealth Realms, and elsewhere. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (699x834, 178 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Jack Straw (politician) Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor and prior to the Union the Chancellor of England and the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom, and its predecessor states. ... The Secretary of State for Justice is a United Kingdom cabinet position. ... Open seat redirects here. ... is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... For others with the same or similar names, see Gordon Brown (disambiguation). ... Lord Falconer of Thoroton Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, PC, QC (born 19 November 1951) is a British barrister and Labour Party politician. ... The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons. ... The Lord Privy Seal or Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal is one of the traditional sinecure offices in the British Cabinet. ... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... Geoffrey William Hoon (born December 6, 1953) is a British politician. ... Harriet Ruth Harman QC, MP (born July 30, 1950, London) is a British Solicitor and Labour politician. ... The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (commonly referred to as Foreign Secretary) is a member of the British Government responsible for relations with foreign countries, heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (often called simply the Foreign Office). ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 126th day of the year (127th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... Robert Finlayson Cook (28 February 1946 – 6 August 2005) was a politician in the British Labour Party. ... Margaret Mary Beckett (née Jackson; born 15 January 1943) is a British Labour politician and Member of Parliament (MP) for Derby South. ... The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office and is responsible for internal affairs in England and Wales, and for immigration and citizenship for the whole United Kingdom (including Scotland and Northern Ireland). ... May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... The Rt Hon. ... David Blunkett (born 6 June 1947) is a British Labour Party politician and has been Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside since 1987. ... Location within the British Isles. ... Open seat redirects here. ... is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Barbara Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn (October 6, 1910 – May 3, 2002), British left-wing politician, was born Barbara Anne Betts in Bradford, Yorkshire, and adopted her familys politics, joining the Labour Party. ... is the 215th day of the year (216th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Buckhurst Hill is a suburban town in the Epping Forest district of Essex. ... For other meanings of Essex, see Essex (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... The University of Leeds is a major teaching and research university, one of the largest in the United Kingdom with over 32,000 full-time students. ... is the 215th day of the year (216th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A politician is an individual who is a formally recognized and active member of a government, or a person who influences the way a society is governed through an understanding of political power and group dynamics. ... is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor and prior to the Union the Chancellor of England and the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom, and its predecessor states. ... The Secretary of State for Justice is a United Kingdom cabinet position. ...

Previously he was Home Secretary from 1997 to 2001, Foreign Secretary from 2001 to 5 May 2006 and Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons from 2006 to 2007. He has been the Member of Parliament for Blackburn since 1979. The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office and is responsible for internal affairs in England and Wales, and for immigration and citizenship for the whole United Kingdom (including Scotland and Northern Ireland). ... The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (commonly referred to as Foreign Secretary) is a member of the British Government responsible for relations with foreign countries, heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (often called simply the Foreign Office). ... is the 125th day of the year (126th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Lord Privy Seal or Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal is one of the traditional sinecure offices in the British Cabinet. ... The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons. ... Location within the British Isles. ...

Early life

Born in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, England of Jewish background and brought up at Loughton, Essex by his mother, Joan, on a council estate after his father, an insurance salesman, left the family. He was educated at Staples Road School, Loughton, and then boarded at the fee paying Brentwood School (where he was already expressing political ambitions and took the name "Jack", allegedly after the 14th century peasant leader Jack Straw — although "Jack" is a common diminutive of "John") and read law at the University of Leeds. Brentwood School had a CCF (Combined Cadet Force), which Jack opted out of, claiming "conscientious objection". The school was at that time a direct grant grammar school, but later became fully independent of the State system. During his time at Leeds University he was elected president of Leeds University Union with the support of the Broad Left, a coalition including Liberal, Socialist and the Communist Societies. Having joined the Labour Society when he arrived at Leeds in 1964, Straw was elected chairman of the Society in 1966 at an annual general meeting packed with members of the Communist Society who had joined days earlier. The Society's name was immediately changed to Socialist Society to reflect the fact that it no longer supported the Labour Party. In 1966, when Straw disrupted a student trip to Chile, he was branded a "troublemaker acting with malice aforethought" by the Foreign Office.^[2] Buckhurst Hill is a suburban town in the Epping Forest district of Essex. ... For other meanings of Essex, see Essex (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... For other places with the same name, see Loughton (disambiguation). ... For other meanings of Essex, see Essex (disambiguation). ... Public housing describes a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. ... Brentwood School Brentwood School is a public school in Brentwood in the English county of Essex. ... Jack Straw (probably the same person as Rackstraw) was one of the three leaders (together with John Ball and Wat Tyler) of the Peasants Revolt or Great Rising of 1381, a major event in the history of Britain. ... The University of Leeds is a major teaching and research university, one of the largest in the United Kingdom with over 32,000 full-time students. ... The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. ... Leeds University Union (LUU) is the representative body for the students at the University of Leeds, England. ... The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom abroad. ...

In 1969 he was elected President of the National Union of Students, having gained a reputation for effective student militancy after he appeared to lead a successful occupation of the University of Leeds in 1968, though he initially opposed the protest and not one of the students' demands was conceded. He was regarded as a radical on issues of social equality and race, though he opposed the legalisation of drugs. He qualified as a barrister and practised criminal law. From 1971 to 1974 Jack Straw was a member of the Inner London Education Authority and Deputy Leader from 1973 to 1974. He served as political adviser to Barbara Castle at the Department of Social Security from 1974 to 1976 and then to Peter Shore at the Department for the Environment to 1977. He then worked as a researcher for the Granada TV current affairs series, World in Action. The National Union of Students (NUS) is the main federation of students unions that exist inside the United Kingdom. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Social equality is a social state of affairs in which certain different people have the same status in a certain respect, minimally at least in voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, and property rights. ... For other uses, see Race (disambiguation). ... An assortment of psychoactive drugs A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and behavior. ... // Artists impression of an English and Irish barrister A barrister is a lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions which employ a split profession (as opposed to a fused profession) in relation to legal representation. ... The term criminal law, sometimes called penal law, refers to any of various bodies of rules in different jurisdictions whose common characteristic is the potential for unique and often severe impositions as punishment for failure to comply. ... The Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) was the education authority for the 12 inner London boroughs, from 1965 until its abolition in 1990. ... Barbara Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn (October 6, 1910 – May 3, 2002), British left-wing politician, was born Barbara Anne Betts in Bradford, Yorkshire, and adopted her familys politics, joining the Labour Party. ... The Department of Social Security (DSS) was until 2001 a department of the Government of the United Kingdom. ... Peter David Shore, Baron Shore of Stepney PC (May 20, 1924 - September 24, 2001) was a British Labour politician noted for his opposition to the European Communities. ... The Department for the Environment was a British government department. ... Granada TV logo, used from 1956 to 1968. ... get lost Category: ...

During his time as political adviser, Straw was asked by Castle to examine the social security file of Norman Scott, who had claimed that the Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe was behind an attempt to murder him. Castle had been asked by Harold Wilson to investigate Scott's file to see if it contained any evidence that he was involved in a security conspiracy against Thorpe. Straw informed Castle that when he went to examine Scott's file, he found it was missing. The journalist Barrie Penrose has alleged that Straw subsequently leaked details from the file to the media. Straw remains silent on that matter. He has denied allegations by Joe Haines, Wilson's press secretary, that Wilson asked for Scott's file to be viewed for party political purposes, in the hopes of gaining information that could be used to damage Thorpe if he attempted to form a coalition government with Edward Heath. By the time he was asked to view the file, Heath had ceased to be leader of the Conservative Party. At the time of the scandal, the general view, promoted in particular by Private Eye, was that Wilson was using his influence to help and protect Thorpe and certainly not to smear him. Thorpe was cleared of any involvement in the attempt on Scott's life. Norman Scott was a male model whom accused the then Liberal Party Leader Jeremy Thorpe, his former lover, and three others of his attempted murder. ... This article is about the historic Liberal Party. ... John Jeremy Thorpe (born April 29, 1929) is a British politician, who was leader of the Liberal Party from 1967 to 1976. ... James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, PC (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was one of the most prominent British politicians of the 20th century. ... Joseph Thomas William Haines (born 29 January 1928 in Rotherhithe, London) is a British journalist and former press secretary to Labour leader and Prime Minister Harold Wilson (1969-76). ... Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, OBE (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. ... Private eye may mean: Look up Private eye on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Private Eye a fortnightly British satirical magazine-newspaper, edited by Ian Hislop (as of 2005) A private investigator, a private detective for hire (see also crime fiction and detective fiction) Private Eye, a song by Alkaline Trio...

Member of Parliament

Straw was selected to run for Parliament in Blackburn, Lancashire, Barbara Castle's seat, in 1977 after Castle decided not to run again. He won the seat in 1979 and has held it since, also becoming honorary president of Blackburn Rovers. In the 1980s, he was an opposition spokesman on economic affairs and later on the environment before promotion to the Shadow Cabinet in 1987. , Blackburn is a large town in Lancashire, England. ... Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ... Blackburn Rovers Football Club are an English Premier League football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. ... The Shadow Cabinet (also called the Shadow Front Bench) is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition (or the leader of other smaller opposition parties) form an alternative cabinet to the governments, whose...

Shadow Cabinet

Straw's first Shadow Cabinet post was as Education spokesman from 1987. In this role, he called on Local Education Authorities to give private Muslim and Orthodox Jewish schools the right to opt out of the state system and still receive public funds. He also stated that the schools should be free to enter the state system. His comments came at a time of great controversy regarding the funding of Muslim schools. Straw argued that the controversy arose out of ignorance and stereotyping about women's role in Islam, pointing out that Muslim women acquired property rights centuries before European women. Straw played a significant role in articulating the Labour party's interest in and sensitivity to the issue. A Local Education Authority (LEA) is the part of a council in England or Wales that is responsible for education within that councils jurisdiction. ... There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... Orthodox Judaism is one of the three major branches of Judaism. ...

Straw briefly served as Shadow Environment Secretary under John Smith from 1992 to 1994, speaking on matters concerning local government. When Tony Blair became leader after Smith's death, he chose Straw to succeed him as Shadow Home Secretary. Like Blair, Straw believed Labour's electoral chances had been damaged in the past by the party appearing to be "soft on crime" and he developed a reputation as being even more authoritarian than the Conservative Home Secretary Michael Howard. Straw garnered particular attention for comments condemning "aggressive beggars, winos and squeegee merchants" and calling for a curfew on children. The Secretary of State for the Environment was a UK cabinet position. ... John Smith QC (September 13, 1938 – May 12, 1994) was a British politician who served as leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his sudden and unexpected death from a heart attack on 12 May 1994. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office and is responsible for internal affairs in England and Wales, and for immigration and citizenship for the whole United Kingdom (including Scotland and Northern Ireland). ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is currently the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and the oldest political party in the United Kingdom. ... The Rt Hon. ...

In government

Home Secretary

Appointed as Home Secretary after the 1997 general election, he brought forward the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, increased police powers against terrorism and proposed a reduction in the right to trial by jury. These policies won praise from Margaret Thatcher who once declared 'I trust Jack Straw. He is a very fair man.' However, they were deemed excessively authoritarian by his former students' union which in 2000 banned him from the building — a policy which lapsed in 2003. However, he also incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into British law, and pressed for action on institutionalised racism in the police revealed by the Stephen Lawrence case. The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office and is responsible for internal affairs in England and Wales, and for immigration and citizenship for the whole United Kingdom (including Scotland and Northern Ireland). ... The UK general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997. ... Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIP or RIPA) is a United Kingdom law covering the interception of communications. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (née Roberts; born 13 October 1925) served as British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 until 1990, being the first and to date only woman to hold either post. ... “ECHR” redirects here. ... Manifestations Slavery Racial profiling Lynching Hate speech Hate crime Genocide (examples) Ethnocide Ethnic cleansing Pogrom Race war Religious persecution Gay bashing Blood libel Paternalism Police brutality Movements Policies Discriminatory Race / Religion / Sex segregation Apartheid Redlining Internment Anti-discriminatory Emancipation Civil rights Desegregation Integration Equal opportunity Counter-discriminatory Affirmative action Racial... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

In March 2000, Jack Straw was responsible for allowing General Augusto Pinochet to return to Chile. There were requests from several countries for Pinochet to be extradited and face trial for crimes against humanity. Pinochet was placed under house arrest in Britain while appealing the legal authority of the Spanish and British courts to try him, but Straw eventually ordered his release on medical grounds before a trial could begin, and Pinochet returned to Chile. Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte[1] (November 25, 1915 – December 10, 2006) was President of Chile as a military dictator [2] from 1974 to 1990, and head of the military junta from 1973 to 1974. ...

He was the last Home Secretary to have all the traditional powers of that office, following the 2001 general election, the government began transferring all non-law and order responsibilities to other departments.

Foreign Secretary

Straw appears at a press conference with American Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice.

Expected by commentators to be demoted to Transport Secretary after the 2001 general election ^{[citation needed]}, there was some surprise when he was instead appointed Foreign Secretary to succeed Robin Cook. Within months Straw was confronted by the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. He was initially seen as taking a back seat to Tony Blair in the UK Government's prosecution of the 'war against terrorism'. Image File history File links Jack_Straw_and_Rice. ... Image File history File links Jack_Straw_and_Rice. ... In several countries, Secretary of State is a senior government position. ... Condoleezza Rice (born November 14, 1954) is the 66th United States Secretary of State, and the second in the administration of President George W. Bush to hold the office. ... Robert Finlayson Cook (28 February 1946 – 6 August 2005) was a politician in the British Labour Party. ... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... This article is about U.S. actions, and those of other states, after September 11, 2001. ...

In the run up to the 2005 general election Straw faced a potential backlash from his Muslim constituents over the Iraq War – the Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK (MPAC) attempted to capitalise on anti-war sentiment with 'operation Muslim vote' in Blackburn. In addition, Craig Murray, who had been pushed out of his job as ambassador to Uzbekistan, stood against his former boss (Straw was head of the FCO) on a platform opposing the use of information gathered under torture in the War on Terror. Straw's vote fell by 20% compared to the previous general election in 2001 (21,808 to 17,562). Nonetheless, he was re-elected. Speaking moments after his re-election during the BBC's election night coverage, Straw called MPAC an 'egregious group' and expressed disappointment at its campaign tactics, which he saw as overly aggressive. Straw enjoys a reputation for involved local campaigning in his constituency despite his cabinet post, often spending many hours in the run up to elections literally standing on a soapbox in a high street area taking questions from the crowd and responding to criticism with a microphone ^{[citation needed]}. It has been suggested that Marginal constituencies in the United Kingdom be merged into this article or section. ... The logo of MPACUK The Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK (MPACUK) is a not-for-profit British Muslim organization. ... Craig Murray (born October, 1958)[1] is a British political activist, university rector and former ambassador to Uzbekistan. ... This article is about U.S. actions, and those of other states, after September 11, 2001. ... A man soapboxing in Chinatown, San Francisco. ... “Microphones” redirects here. ...

On October 13, 2005 Straw took questions from a public panel of (mostly anti-war) ^{[citation needed]} individuals in a BBC Newsnight television special on the subject of Iraq, addressing widespread public concerns about the exit strategy for British troops, the Iraqi insurgency and, inevitably, the moral legitimacy of the war. On several occasions Straw reiterated his position that the decision to invade was in his opinion the right thing to do, but said he did not 'know' for certain that this was the case. He said he understood why public opinion on several matters might differ from his own — a Newsnight/ICM poll showed over 70% of respondents believed the war in Iraq to have increased the likelihood of terrorist attacks in the United Kingdom, but Straw said he could not agree based on the information presented to him. is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Newsnight is a British daily news analysis, current affairs and politics programme broadcast between 22:30 and 23:20 on weekdays on BBC Two. ... An exit strategy is a means of escaping a very difficult situation. ...

In February 2006, Straw attracted publicity after he condemned the publication of cartoons picturing Mohammed in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.^[3] The controversial cartoons of Muhammad, first published in Jyllands-Posten in September 2005. ...   (English: The Morning Newspaper The Jutland Post), commonly shortened to Jyllands-Posten or JP, is a Danish daily broadsheet newspaper. ...

In April 2006, reports of secret White House plans to target Iranian nuclear installations with bunker busting nuclear bombs was described by Jack Straw as “completely nuts”.^{[citation needed]}

In August 2006, it was claimed by William Rees-Mogg in The Times that there was evidence that Straw was removed from this post upon request of the Bush administration, possibly due to his expressed opposition to bombing Iran.^[4] Other commentators also speculated that Straw had effectively been 'fired' by the Bush administration.^[5] William Rees-Mogg, Baron Rees-Mogg (born July 14, 1928) is a journalist and politician in the United Kingdom. ... The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom (and the Kingdom of Great Britain before the United Kingdom existed) since 1788 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. ... The Bush administration includes President George W. Bush, Vice President Richard Cheney, Bushs Cabinet, and other select officials and advisors. ...

It has also been alleged that another factor in his dismissal was the large number of Muslims amongst Straw's Blackburn constituents, supposedly considered a cause for concern by the US.^[6] Some Iranian dissidents mocked Straw as "Ayatollah Straw" after his frequent visits to Tehran in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. ^[7] A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly...

Leader of the House of Commons

After the Labour Party suffered major defeats in local elections on 4 May 2006, losing 317 seats in balloting for 176 councils, Tony Blair acted the following day with a major reshuffle of his ministers during which he moved Straw from Foreign Secretary to Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal. Straw had apparently requested a break from high ministerial office after serving in two of the four great departments of state for nearly ten years. Straw's close relationship with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was said to have 'infuriated' Number 10,^{[citation needed]} with particular reference to her visit to Straw's Blackburn constituency which caused significant organisational difficulties. It is believed that Straw's public opposition to potential military actions in Iran during his tenure as Foreign Secretary was one of the main reasons behind his demotion ^{[citation needed]}. To lessen the apparent demotion, Blair gave Straw responsibility for House of Lords reform and party funding, issues which had been part of the portfolio of the Department for Constitutional Affairs. In addition, Straw was given the chairmanship of the Constitutional Affairs cabinet committee.^[8] is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Following poor results for the Labour Party in the May 4, 2006 local elections in England, British Prime Minister Tony Blair held a Cabinet reshuffle on May 5. ... The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons. ... The Lord Privy Seal or Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal is one of the traditional sinecure offices in the British Cabinet. ... Condoleezza Rice (born November 14, 1954) is the 66th United States Secretary of State, and the second in the administration of President George W. Bush to hold the office. ... Prime Minister Tony Blair and U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney stand in front of the famous main door to Number 10. ... The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) is a United Kingdom government department. ... This article is about the governmental body. ...

On 25 March 2007, Straw announced he was to run Gordon Brown's campaign for the Labour leadership. This was the first official confirmation the Chancellor would stand.^[9] is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... For others with the same or similar names, see Gordon Brown (disambiguation). ...

Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice

Straw was appointed Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain and Secretary of State for Justice on the first full day of Gordon Brown's ministry, 28 June 2007. He will be the first ever Lord Chancellor to serve in the role whilst a member of the House of Commons. His appointment means that he will continue to be a major figure in the Labour Government. Only Straw, Alistair Darling and Gordon Brown have served in the cabinet continuously since Labour's administration began in May 1997. The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor and prior to the Union the Chancellor of England and the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom, and its predecessor states. ... The Secretary of State for Justice is a United Kingdom cabinet position. ... Type Lower House Speaker Michael Martin, (Non-affiliated) since October 23, 2000 Leader Harriet Harman, (Labour) since June 28, 2007 Shadow Leader Theresa May, (Conservative) since May 5, 2005 Members 659 Political groups Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party Plaid Cymru Democratic Unionist Party Sinn Féin... Alistair Maclean Darling (born November 28, 1953) is a British politician and Chancellor of the Exchequer since June 28, 2007. ... For others with the same or similar names, see Gordon Brown (disambiguation). ...

2006 veil controversy

Main article: United Kingdom debate over veils

In October 2006 Straw attracted controversy by suggesting to a local newspaper, The Lancashire Evening Telegraph, that Muslim women who wear veils that cover their faces (the niqab) can inhibit inter-community relations, though he denied the issue was raised for political gain, stating that he had raised it in private circles in the past and it had never progressed beyond discussions. Although he did not support a law banning a woman's right to choose to wear the veil, he would like them to abandon it all together. Asked whether he would prefer veils to be abolished completely, Straw said: "Yes. It needs to be made clear I am not talking about being prescriptive but with all the caveats, yes, I would rather."^[10] He said that he had asked women visiting his constituency surgeries to consider uncovering their noses and mouths in order to allow better communication. He claimed that no women had ever chosen to wear a full-veil after this request.^[11][12][13] The Daily Express launched what it called a Crusade against the veil. The United Kingdom debate over veils began in October 2006 when the MP and government minister Jack Straw wrote in a local newspaper that, while he did not want to be prescriptive, he preferred talking to women who... The complex relationship between women and Islam is defined by both Islamic texts and the history and culture of the Muslim world. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... In linguistics, prescription is the laying down or prescribing of normative rules of the language. ... A Surgery in British politics is a term used to describe a series of one-to-one meetings a Member of Parliament may have with his or her constituents, at which a constituent may raise issues of local concern and seek the intervention of their MP. The issues may relate...

Straw's comments kicked off a wide-ranging and sometimes harshly worded debate within British politics and the media; Straw was supported by some establishment figures and castigated by others, including Muslim groups. There is debate within the Muslim community whether the Quran and hadith (traditions of Muhammed) require the use of the full face veil, see sartorial hijab. The United Kingdom is a unitary state and a democratic constitutional monarchy. ... Ummah (أمة) is an Arabic word that means community or nation. ... The Quran (Arabic al-qurʾān أَلْقُرآن; also transliterated as Quran, Koran, and less commonly Alcoran) is the holy book of Islam. ... Hadith ( transliteration: ) are oral traditions relating to the words and deeds of Prophet Muhammad. ... For other people named Muhammad, see Muhammad (disambiguation). ... External Hijab is a phrase used to denote garments (typically female) associated with the modest dress of Muslims. ...

Personal life

In 1998, Straw was said to be embarrassed by newspaper revelations that his teenage son was dealing cannabis; Will Straw had apparently sold 1.92 g of cannabis resin to an undercover reporter,^[14] and was cautioned by police after his father turned him in. Look up Cannabis in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Will Straw (born in Lambeth in 1980) is a civil servant best known for being the son of Jack Straw, Leader of the House of Commons. ...

In 2000, Straw's brother — also named William — was fined for indecently assaulting a 16 year old girl.^[15]

In June 2006 Private Eye magazine revealed that Straw's wife, Alice Perkins, joined the board of the country's largest airports operator BAA in March 2006, shortly before it was taken over by the Spanish firm Ferrovial. Private eye may mean: Look up Private eye on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Private Eye a fortnightly British satirical magazine-newspaper, edited by Ian Hislop (as of 2005) A private investigator, a private detective for hire (see also crime fiction and detective fiction) Private Eye, a song by Alkaline Trio... BAA plc is the owner and operator of seven major United Kingdom airports and operator of several airports worldwide, making the company one of the largest transport companies in the world. ... Ferrovial Group (Grupo Ferrovial) is a Spanish company involved in construction, infrastructure, real estate and related services. ...

Straw suffers from tinnitus.^[16] Tinnitus (IPA pronunciation: or ,[1] from the Latin word for ringing[2]) is the perception of sound in the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound(s). ...

Partial bibliography

Author or co-author

• Implementation of the Human Rights Act 1998: Minutes of Evidence, Wednesday 14 March 2001 (2001) ISBN 0-10-442701-9
• Making Prisons Work: Prison Reform Trust Annual Lecture (1998) ISBN 0-946209-44-8
• Future of Policing and Criminal Justice (Institute of Police & Criminological Studies Occasional Paper S.) (1996) ISBN 1-86137-087-3
• Policy and Ideology (1993) ISBN 0-9521163-0-8

Reports

• Reform of the Race Relations Act 1976: Proposals for Change Submitted by the Commission for Racial Equality to the Rt Hon Jack Straw MP, Secretary of State for the Home Department, on 30th April 1998 (1998) ISBN 1-85442-210-3

Footnotes

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 125th day of the year (126th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 125th day of the year (126th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikisource has original works written by or about:

Jack Straw

• Online exhibition of the May 1968 student protest in Leeds
• 10 Downing Street - Foreign Secretary Jack John Whitaker Straw
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Jack Straw MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Jack Straw MP
• Open Directory Project - Jack Straw directory category

• BBC Newsnight: Jack Straw

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