“For centuries, the courts took the view that preserving the discretion of the authorities trumped the rights of victims to hold them to account. It was because of the Human Rights Act that this began to change.”

British politician, MP for Islington South and Finsbury

Dame Emily Thornberry is a British politician and Labour Party MP for Islington South and Finsbury, a seat she has held since 2005. She has been a prominent figure on the Labour front bench for much of her career. Her roles have included Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales, first from 2011 to 2014 and again from 2021 until the 2024 general election. She also served as Shadow Foreign Secretary from 2016 to 2020, Shadow First Secretary of State from 2017 to 2020, and Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade from 2020 to 2021.