Kishwer Falkner, Baroness Falkner of Margravine
Encyclopedia
Kishwer Falkner, Baroness Falkner of Margravine (born 9 March 1955) is a British
Liberal Democrat
politician and Life Peer. She is Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice in the House of Lords
.
Prior to her enoblement as a life peer
with the title Baroness Falkner of Margravine, of Barons Court in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
in 2004, Falkner worked in a variety of jobs for the Liberal Democrats in the House of Commons
and the party headquarters including as Director of International Affairs and Director of Policy. She has also worked at the Commonwealth Secretariat
and as Chief Executive of Student Partnerships Worldwide. In February 2008 she was appointed as the inaugural chancellor
of The University of Northampton
.
and after living and working in the Middle East, moved to the UK in the late seventies. Falkner was educated at convent schools in Pakistan, the London School of Economics
where she obtained a BSc (Econ) in International Relations and the University of Kent
where she obtained an MA in International Relations and European Studies.
in the mid-eighties and worked for the party in several posts till 1999. She stood as prospective parliamentary candidate in Kensington and Chelsea
in 2001, gaining the highest ethnic minority vote for Liberal Democrats in London
, and as a European Parliamentary Candidate in 2004.
Kishwer was the Liberal Democrats’ Director of International and European Affairs for several years, co-authoring much of the Party’s policy on the European Union
, and coordinating a joint response for European Liberals on issues related to Europe’s structures and place in the world. Kishwer also worked for the Commonwealth Secretariat
, where she continued to work on the broader issues of globalisation, democracy and development. Most recently, Kishwer was Chief Executive of a charity working with young people in some of the poorest parts of Africa and Asia.
Falkner contested Kensington and Chelsea
in the 2001 General Election
and was on the Liberal Democrats list for London
in the 2004 European elections
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
politician and Life Peer. She is Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
Prior to her enoblement as a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
with the title Baroness Falkner of Margravine, of Barons Court in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is a London borough in West London, and forms part of Inner London. Traversed by the east-west main roads of the A4 Great West Road and the A40 Westway, many international corporations have offices in the borough....
in 2004, Falkner worked in a variety of jobs for the Liberal Democrats in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
and the party headquarters including as Director of International Affairs and Director of Policy. She has also worked at the Commonwealth Secretariat
Commonwealth Secretariat
The Commonwealth Secretariat is the main intergovernmental agency and central institution of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is responsible for facilitating cooperation between members; organising meetings, including the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings ; assisting and advising on policy...
and as Chief Executive of Student Partnerships Worldwide. In February 2008 she was appointed as the inaugural chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
of The University of Northampton
University of Northampton
The University of Northampton is a university in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England.-History:In 1924, Northampton Technical College was opened at St George's Avenue, site of the current Avenue Campus. A new building for the college was formally opened by the then Duke and Duchess of York in 1932...
.
Life
Kishwer Falkner was born in PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and after living and working in the Middle East, moved to the UK in the late seventies. Falkner was educated at convent schools in Pakistan, the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
where she obtained a BSc (Econ) in International Relations and the University of Kent
University of Kent
The University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...
where she obtained an MA in International Relations and European Studies.
Political career
She joined the Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
in the mid-eighties and worked for the party in several posts till 1999. She stood as prospective parliamentary candidate in Kensington and Chelsea
Kensington and Chelsea (UK Parliament constituency)
Kensington and Chelsea was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was one of the safest Conservative seats in the United Kingdom, and since its creation in 1997 became a prestigious seat, with MP Alan Clark, the former Defence Secretary...
in 2001, gaining the highest ethnic minority vote for Liberal Democrats in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and as a European Parliamentary Candidate in 2004.
Kishwer was the Liberal Democrats’ Director of International and European Affairs for several years, co-authoring much of the Party’s policy on the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, and coordinating a joint response for European Liberals on issues related to Europe’s structures and place in the world. Kishwer also worked for the Commonwealth Secretariat
Commonwealth Secretariat
The Commonwealth Secretariat is the main intergovernmental agency and central institution of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is responsible for facilitating cooperation between members; organising meetings, including the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings ; assisting and advising on policy...
, where she continued to work on the broader issues of globalisation, democracy and development. Most recently, Kishwer was Chief Executive of a charity working with young people in some of the poorest parts of Africa and Asia.
Falkner contested Kensington and Chelsea
Kensington and Chelsea (UK Parliament constituency)
Kensington and Chelsea was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was one of the safest Conservative seats in the United Kingdom, and since its creation in 1997 became a prestigious seat, with MP Alan Clark, the former Defence Secretary...
in the 2001 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
and was on the Liberal Democrats list for London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the 2004 European elections
European Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
.