Helena Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws

Last updated

Iain Louis Hutchison
(m. 1986)
The Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws
Official portrait of Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws crop 2, 2019.jpg
Official portrait, 2019
Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University
Assumed office
26 July 2018
Domestic partnerIain Mitchell (1978–1984)
Children3
Occupation Barrister, television presenter
Website helenakennedy.co.uk

Helena Ann Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws (born 12 May 1950), is a Scottish barrister, broadcaster, and Labour member of the House of Lords. She was Principal of Mansfield College, Oxford, from 2011 to 2018. A Bencher of Gray's Inn, an Honorary Writer to the Signet and the recipient of 42 Honorary Degrees from many universities including those of Glasgow and Edinburgh in recognition of work on women and the law and on widening participation in higher education. She is President of Justice, the law reform think tank, and is also director of the International Bar Association's Institute of Human Rights.

Contents

Early life and education

Kennedy was born on 12 May 1950 in Glasgow, Scotland, one of the four daughters of Mary Veronica (née Jones) and Joshua Patrick Kennedy, nicknamed "Mae" and "Joss", respectively. [1] Her parents were committed Labour activists and devoutly Roman Catholic. [2] Her father, a printer with the Daily Record , was a trade union official. [2]

She attended Holyrood Secondary School in Glasgow, where she was appointed Head Girl. She studied law at the Council of Legal Education in London. [2]

In 1972, Kennedy was called to the bar at Gray's Inn. Among her many cases, Kennedy acted as junior counsel for child murderer Myra Hindley during her 1974 trial for plotting to escape from Holloway Prison. [3] [4] She was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1991. [5]

Politics

Kennedy rebels against her party whip in the House of Lords more frequently than any other Labour Peer, having a dissent rate of 33.3%. [6] She was Chair of Charter 88 (1992–1997) and is closely affiliated to the educational charity Common Purpose. In 2020, she worked with the Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith and democracy activist Luke de Pulford to create the global pressure group Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China. [7] In March 2021, China placed sanctions on her. [8] The sanctions were condemned by the Prime Minister and led the Foreign Secretary to summon the Chinese ambassador. [9] [10]

Academia

Kennedy became the first Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University, serving from 1994 until 2001. She was elected principal of Mansfield College, Oxford, in July 2010 and served in the role from September 2011. [11] She retired in 2018 and became Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University on 26 July 2018. [12]

Personal life

From 1978 to 1984 she lived with the actor Iain Mitchell, and together they had a son. In 1986, Kennedy married Iain Louis Hutchison, a surgeon, with whom she has a daughter and a son. [2]

Kennedy regularly attends Mass and professes that her Roman Catholicism "remains very much part of who I am", even though she eschews its more traditional values. [2]

In 2023, Kennedy took part in King Charles and Queen Camilla's coronation at Westminster Abbey, carrying the Queen Consort's Rod with Dove. [13]

Honours

She has received numerous awards, including:

Broadcasting

Hosting After Dark in 1997 Helena Kennedy hosting After Dark on 13 September 1997.jpg
Hosting After Dark in 1997

Appointments

Kennedy signing The Convention on Modern Liberty in January 2009 Helena Kennedy -London, England-15Jan2010.jpg
Kennedy signing The Convention on Modern Liberty in January 2009

Civic honours

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mansfield College, Oxford</span> College of the University of Oxford

Mansfield College, Oxford is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. The college was founded in Birmingham in 1838 as a college for Nonconformist students. It moved to Oxford in 1886 and was renamed Mansfield College after George Mansfield and his sister Elizabeth. In 1995 a royal charter was awarded giving the institution full college status. The college grounds are located on Mansfield Road, near the centre of Oxford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos</span> British diplomat (born 1954)

Valerie Ann Amos, Baroness Amos is a British Labour Party politician and diplomat who served as the eighth UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. Before her appointment to the UN, she served as British High Commissioner to Australia. She was created a life peer in 1997, serving as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council from 2003 to 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estelle Morris</span> British Labour politician, life peer

Estelle Morris, Baroness Morris of Yardley,, is a British politician and life peer who served as Secretary of State for Education and Skills from 2001 to 2002. A member of the Labour Party, she was Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Yardley from 1992 to 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martha Lane Fox</span> British businesswoman (born 1973); member of the House of Lords

Martha Lane Fox, Baroness Lane-Fox of Soho is a British businesswoman, philanthropist and public servant. She co-founded Last Minute during the dotcom boom of the early 2000s and has subsequently served on public service digital projects. She sits on the boards of WeTransfer and Chanel, as well as being a trustee of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust. She previously served on the board of Channel 4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Onora O'Neill</span> British philosopher & college principal

Onora Sylvia O'Neill, Baroness O'Neill of Bengarve is a British philosopher and a crossbench member of the House of Lords.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vivien Stern, Baroness Stern</span> British Baroness (born 1941)

Vivien Helen Stern, Baroness Stern is a crossbench member of the House of Lords.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond</span> British judge (born 1945)

Brenda Marjorie Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond,, is a British judge who served as President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom from 2017 until her retirement in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katherine Grainger</span> Scottish rower (born 1975)

Dame Katherine Jane Grainger is a Scottish former rower and current Chair of UK Sport. She is a 2012 Summer Olympics gold medallist, four-time Olympic silver medallist and six-time World Champion for Great Britain. She served as Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University between 2015 and 2020 and is currently Chancellor of the University of Glasgow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanni Grey-Thompson</span> Welsh wheelchair racer and parliamentarian (born 1969)

Carys Davina Grey-Thompson, Baroness Grey-Thompson,, known as Tanni Grey-Thompson, is a Welsh life peeress, television presenter and former wheelchair racer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, Baroness Butler-Sloss</span> English judge (born 1933)

Ann Elizabeth Oldfield Butler-Sloss, Baroness Butler-Sloss, GBE, PC is a retired English judge. She was the first female Lord Justice of Appeal and was the highest-ranking female judge in the United Kingdom until 2004, when Baroness Hale was appointed to the House of Lords. Until June 2007, she chaired the inquests into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Fayed. She stood down from that task with effect from that date, and the inquest was conducted by Lord Justice Scott Baker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elish Angiolini</span> Scottish lawyer (born 1960)

Lady Elish Frances Angiolini is a Scottish lawyer who is a Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford and has served as the Principal of St Hugh's College, Oxford since 2012; she was a candidate in the 2024 University of Oxford Chancellor election. In June 2023, she was appointed to the office of Lord Clerk Register by King Charles III, the first woman to hold the role since its creation in the 13th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Warnock, Baroness Warnock</span> English philosopher and writer (1924–2019)

Helen Mary Warnock, Baroness Warnock, was an English philosopher of morality, education, and mind, and a writer on existentialism. She is best known for chairing an inquiry whose report formed the basis of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. She served as Mistress of Girton College, Cambridge from 1984 to 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Betty Lockwood, Baroness Lockwood</span> British political activist (1924–2019)

Betty Lockwood, Baroness Lockwood was a Labour Party activist. She was heavily involved in promoting equal opportunities for women on a national and international level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heather Hallett, Baroness Hallett</span> English judge (born 1949)

Heather Carol Hallett, Baroness Hallett,, is a retired British judge of the Court of Appeal and a crossbench life peer. The first woman to chair the Bar Council and the fifth woman to sit in the Court of Appeal, Hallett led the independent inquest into the 7/7 bombings. In April 2019, she was appointed Chair of the Security Vettings Appeal Panel. In December 2021, she was announced as the chair of the public inquiry into the UK Government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. On 29 June 2022, the Government accepted Baroness Hallett's proposed terms of reference for the inquiry, with minor changes suggested by the devolved administrations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pauline Perry, Baroness Perry of Southwark</span> British Conservative politician

Pauline Perry, Baroness Perry of Southwark is an educator, educationist, academic, and activist. She is a Conservative politician and was for 25 years a working member of the British House of Lords. In 1981 she became Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in England. In 1986 she became Vice-Chancellor of South Bank Polytechnic, and serving during its transition to a university, became the first woman in history to run a British university.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lola Young, Baroness Young of Hornsey</span> British author, actor, activist and academic (born 1951)

Margaret Omolola Young, Baroness Young of Hornsey is a British actress, author, crossbench peer, and Chancellor of the University of Nottingham.

Joyce Brenda Gould, Baroness Gould of Potternewton is a British Labour Party politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kennedy Scholarship</span> British university scholarship

Kennedy Scholarships provide full funding for up to ten British post-graduate students to study at either Harvard University or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Susan Hockfield, the sixteenth president of MIT, described the scholarship program as a way to "offer exceptional students unique opportunities to broaden their intellectual and personal horizons, in ways that are more important than ever in an era defined by global interaction.". In 2007, 163 applications were received, of which 10 were ultimately selected, for an acceptance rate of 6.1%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Watkins, Baroness Watkins of Tavistock</span>

Mary Jane Watkins, Baroness Watkins of Tavistock,, is a British Professor of Nursing. She currently is emeritus professor of healthcare leadership at Plymouth University and Deputy Vice Chancellor of the university.

As part of the British honours system, Special Honours are issued at the Monarch's pleasure at any given time. The Special Honours refer to the awards made within royal prerogative, operational honours, political honours and other honours awarded outside the New Years Honours and Birthday Honours.

References

  1. "Kennedy of the Shaws, Baroness, (Helena Ann Kennedy) (Born 12 May 1950)". Who's Who. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2007. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u22850. ISBN   978-0-19-954088-4 . Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Wroe, Nicholas (27 March 2004). "A radical in the House". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
  3. "Baroness Helena Kennedy QC on why the British justice system is failing women". Yorkshire Post . 2 August 2018.
  4. Carol Ann Lee, One of Your Own: The Life and Death of Myra Hindley (2012).
  5. https://100leadingladies.wordpress.com/baroness-helena-kennedy-qc/
  6. Rebel Lords — Current members The Public Whip.
  7. Rogers, Benedict (6 June 2020). "Parliamentarians From Around the World Unite to Discuss the China Challenge". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  8. "Uighurs: China bans UK MPs after abuse sanctions". BBC News. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  9. Cheshire, Tom; Nick Lester (26 March 2021). "China sanctions: Boris Johnson praises MPs banned by Beijing for 'shining a light on gross human rights violations'". Sky News.
  10. "'Badge of honour' - China sanctions UK politicians for Xinjiang 'lies'". Reuters. 26 March 2021.
  11. "Baroness Helena Kennedy QC elected next Principal of Mansfield College", University of Oxford Mansfield College, 13 April 2011. Archived 29 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine .
  12. "Principal". Mansfield College. University of Oxford. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  13. "The full list of people with ceremonial roles during King's coronation". The Independent. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  14. "Helena Kennedy QC made an Honorary Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College". University of Cambridge. 26 April 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  15. "Baroness Helena Kennedy QC". Plymouth University | Honorary degrees 2012. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  16. "Baroness Helena Kennedy of The Shaws". The Royal Society of Edinburgh. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  17. "BBC 100 Women 2021: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  18. "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  19. Majesty Magazine [@MajestyMagazine] (9 March 2024). "New appointments to the Order of the Thistle" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  20. "No. 64354". The London Gazette . 26 March 2024. p. 6066.
  21. "2016: A Vision and Strategy for the Centennial" Archived 4 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine (p. 18), School of Oriental and African Studies, April 2010
  22. Qureshi, Huma (17 October 2012). "Helena Kennedy: 'Women's struggles are not over'". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  23. "New Chancellor for Sheffield Hallam University". shu.ac.uk. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  24. "IBA - IBAHRI Secretariat to the High Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom". www.ibanet.org. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  25. "Meet The Team" Archived 11 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine , LIFT. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  26. "SafeHands for Mothers". SafeHands for Mothers. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  27. Chandler, Mark (20 January 2020), "Kennedy steps down as Booker Prize Foundation chair", The Bookseller.
  28. "CHE > In the news". www.c-h-e.org.uk. Archived from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  29. "No. 54934". The London Gazette . 30 October 1997. p. 12205.
  30. "Kennedy Baronessa Helena - Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana" (in Italian). Quirinale. 23 April 2004.
Academic offices
New university Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University
1994–2001
Succeeded by
Preceded by Principal of Mansfield College, Oxford
2011–2018
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University
2018–present
Incumbent