Labour MP Emily Thornberry opens up about her sudden demotion from a frontbench role, warning of the perils of rushing into government positions without experience. As she takes on her new chapter in politics, she brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to the foreign affairs select committee.
A Warning from a Veteran Labour Politician: The Perils of Rushing into Government Roles
As the head of the foreign affairs select committee, Emily Thornberry is starting a new chapter in her political career. With 20 years of experience as a barrister and two decades in parliament, she brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to her role. However, her own experiences with demotion from the government frontbench serve as a cautionary tale for younger colleagues.
The Pain of Demotion
Thornberry’s unexpected omission from the government frontbenches was a blow she had not anticipated. Despite having done nothing in the role that suggested she would lose it, Labour leader Keir Starmer made the decision to move her out. This was particularly painful given Starmer’s pledge to keep people in their posts for extended periods of time.
“I was very disappointed,” Thornberry recalls. “Keir used to say to people in the shadow cabinet: ‘You’re not going to be moved jobs, you had better get used to it.’ Nobody really told me I wasn’t going to be… It was a shock, and it has been hard.”
A Cautionary Tale for Young Ministers
Thornberry’s experience serves as a warning to younger colleagues who are being elevated to ministerial roles immediately after being elected. She fears that these newcomers may not have the necessary experience or confidence to navigate the complexities of government.
“We have some amazingly experienced and talented new ministers who have not been MPs before,” she notes. “The last thing I want – and maybe I’ll be proved wrong – I don’t want them to be set up to fail. Hopefully, I’ve got it wrong, but I think it would make their life much easier if they had been MPs for a while first, before they became ministers.”
A Genuinely International Background
Thornberry’s own background is uniquely international, with her father having served in the UN and the family having lived on council estates before embarking on international assignments. This experience has given her confidence and allowed her to speak freely about foreign leaders.
“I do have a genuinely international background,” she explains. “Throughout my childhood, we would be living on this council estate and, and dad would turn up and go: ‘We’re going to Zambia.’ I do have a kind of confidence – I don’t get intimidated.”
A Commitment to Human Rights
Thornberry is also committed to ensuring that human rights concerns are taken into account when dealing with foreign leaders. She has spoken out against Donald Trump‘s policies, labeling him a “racist sexual predator,” and warned Labour ministers not to be swayed by the promise of financial investment from China while ignoring human rights abuses.
“We need to tread a careful path between the government’s stated priority, which is for growth, and being consistent with our values as a country, which is a commitment to human rights,” she notes. “We need to work with foreign leaders who share these values.”
A Commitment to British Citizens Detained Abroad
Thornberry has also taken on the relatively uncontroversial issue of British citizens detained abroad, highlighting the poor treatment they receive from the Foreign Office.
“The Foreign Office is not great about this,” she says. “Other countries will get their people out, and Britain doesn’t. The foreign secretary has said that he wants to have someone at ambassadorial level whose responsibility will be to ensure that we get our people out, but when is this happening?”
In conclusion, Thornberry’s experience serves as a reminder of the importance of experience and confidence in government roles. As she takes on her new role, she brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to the foreign affairs select committee. However, she also cautions against rushing into government without proper preparation.
