Emily Thornberry Eyes Foreign Affairs Chair Amidst Election Turmoil and Cabinet Snub

Emily Thornberry, a prominent Labour MP, has announced her candidacy for the prestigious position of chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. In an interview with Sky's Beth Rigby, Thornberry expressed her disappointment at not being included in Sir Keir Starmer's cabinet, describing her feelings as "sad" and "disappointed." She also referred to the recent election as the "worst ever."

Saturday, July 20, 2024, at 5

Emily Thornberry, overlooked by Sir Keir Starmer for a cabinet position, has announced her candidacy for the chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on Sky's Electoral Dysfunction podcast.

Ms. Thornberry, who held the position of shadow attorney general during Labour's time in opposition, expressed to political editor Beth Rigby her deep regret and disappointment at not securing a position within the government, as she had hoped to contribute to the significant endeavors of a Labour administration.

However, she announced her candidacy for the position of chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, an esteemed office within the legislature.

She expressed to Rigby, "Being elected by the entire House for that role would be an incredible opportunity."

Drawing from her past roles as shadow foreign secretary, shadow defence secretary, and shadow international trade secretary, she commented, "I believe I bring a considerable amount of relevant experience to the table."

"I've never held the position of chair, especially not on a select committee, and it's been quite a while since I've served on one given that I've been part of the leadership team for over ten years. However, this will be a novel experience for me."

Following his overwhelming electoral victory, Sir Keir announced his cabinet selections, naming Richard Hermer KC, previously a barrister with Matrix Chambers, as the attorney general.

Ms. Thornberry, the MP for Islington South and Finsbury since 2005, expressed on the podcast that this year's election was "awful" and "the most dreadful she has ever been through."

She disclosed that during the campaign, eight masked individuals suddenly confronted her.

"Entering the legislature and engaging with others, it's evident that what I went through wasn't an isolated incident," she remarked.

"I believe the targeted harassment, especially of women and notably of women from ethnic minorities, is profoundly troubling."

"The rise of smartphone cameras and the trend of capturing videos, particularly with the intent of provoking politicians and then sharing these moments on social media for viral attention, has fostered a type of conduct that can be quite daunting."

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She added, "The most intense situation was when eight individuals suddenly appeared wearing masks and holding cameras. It's quite challenging to handle such encounters while simply going door-to-door and keeping to oneself."

Describing the event, Ms. Thornberry stated, "The man who approached me to talk was not wearing a mask, so I addressed him."

I extended my hand to greet him, but he declined to provide his name or engage in a handshake.

"Then it hits me—I glance around and notice everyone is wearing masks. I was with a small group, maybe three or four others, and finally we managed to find a car I could get into. But the whole situation felt like a calculated attempt to scare me, capturing on camera my fear."

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Learn more: Jess Phillips describes a distressing campaign involving tire vandalism and aggressive confrontations with men yelling at women. Additionally, Conservative MPs have triumphed in a struggle with party officials regarding the scheduling of the leadership race, according to the 1922 Committee.

In response to whether she was scared, Ms. Thornberry answered, "I exhibited no fear whatsoever."

"And I asked them, 'which aspect of the two-state solution, the instant recognition of Palestine, and the immediate ceasefire do you disagree with?'"

She mentioned that although the event focused on Gaza, her concerns extended to various other issues, such as climate change.

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She began, "It's not something I usually discuss, but I believe my experience is fairly common."

"We have to speak up about it. If you notice such videos on social media, you should speak up too."

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