Blackburn Institute

Jack Straw

British Foreign Secretary

2005 Frank A. Nix Lecturer

Jack Straw was appointed Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 8 June 2001. Mr Straw was born in 1946 and educated at Brentwood School, Essex and Leeds University. He was called to the Bar in 1972. He is a visiting Fellow of Nuffield College Oxford and a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society. Mr Straw was Home Secretary from 1997-2001. He was Shadow Home Secretary from 1995 to 1997.  From 1992-1994 he was Shadow Environment Secretary. And between 1987 and 1992 Mr Straw was Shadow Education Secretary.  From 1983-1987 he was Opposition spokesman on Local Government and from 1980-1983 on Treasury matters. He was a member of the Labour Party National Executive Committee from 1994-1995. Mr Straw was President of Leeds University Students’ Union from 1967-1968 and of the National Union of Students from 1969-1971. From 1971 to 1974 Mr Straw was a member of the Inner London Education Authority and Deputy Leader from 1973 to 1974.  Mr Straw worked as a barrister from 1972-1974 and was special adviser to Barbara Castle from 1974-1975 and to Peter Shore from 1976-1977. He also worked for Granada Television’s World in Action programme from 1977-1979.

He is married with one son and one daughter. His recreations are walking, music, cooking puddings and supporting Blackburn Rovers.