Emily Thornberry Eyes Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Amidst Election Challenges and Cabinet Snub

Labour's Emily Thornberry announces her candidacy for a prominent parliamentary position – describing the recent election as the 'worst ever'

The experienced Labour MP confided to Sky's Beth Rigby her feelings of sadness and disappointment at being excluded from Sir Keir Starmer's cabinet, but she expressed her intention to pursue the chairmanship of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

Saturday, July 20, 2024, at 5

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

Ms. Thornberry, who previously held the position of shadow attorney general under the Labour opposition, expressed to political editor Beth Rigby her deep disappointment and sadness at not receiving a position within the government, as she had hoped to contribute to what she described as the "great project" of a Labour administration.

However, she announced her decision to pursue the position of chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, a distinguished appointment within the legislature.

She conveyed to Rigby, "Being elected by the entire House to undertake that role would be a tremendous opportunity."

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

"I've never held the position of chair, particularly not for a select committee, and it's been quite a while since I've even served on one, given that I've spent over ten years on the front bench. However, this will be a new experience for me."

Following his overwhelming electoral victory, Sir Keir swiftly assembled his cabinet, selecting Richard Hermer KC, previously a barrister with Matrix Chambers, for the role of attorney general.

Ms. Thornberry, the MP for Islington South and Finsbury since 2005, described this year's election as "terrible" and "the worst she has ever experienced" during her appearance on the podcast.

She disclosed that during the campaign, she was unexpectedly confronted by eight masked individuals.

"Entering the legislature and engaging in conversations, it becomes apparent that my circumstances were not singular," she stated.

"I believe the targeted harassment, especially of women and even more so of women from ethnic minority groups, is exceptionally troubling."

"There seems to be a trend where people use their smartphones to capture videos aimed at provoking politicians. They then share these videos on social media platforms to garner a significant number of views, leading to a behavior that can often be perceived as intimidating."

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She added, "The most terrifying incident was when eight individuals in masks, armed with cameras, suddenly ambushed me. It's incredibly difficult to handle such situations when you're simply going door-to-door and keeping to yourself."

Describing the event, Ms. Thornberry stated, "The individual who approached me for a conversation was not wearing a mask, hence I addressed him."

I extended my hand to greet him, but he refused to shake it or tell me his name.

"Then it hit me. I glanced around and noticed everyone was wearing masks. I was accompanied by three or four others. Ultimately, we managed to find a car and I climbed in. The whole situation was clearly meant to scare and capture my fear on camera."

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Further reading: Jess Phillips describes a distressing campaign marked by vandalism and aggressive confrontations, as Tory MPs prevail in a struggle with party officials to set the timeline for the leadership race.

When questioned about being scared, Ms. Thornberry responded, "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 object to?"

She mentioned that although the event focused on Gaza, it also covered various other topics, including climate change issues.

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She remarked, "It's not usually something I discuss, but I believe my experiences are not uncommon."

"I believe it's important to speak up about it. If you notice such videos on social media platforms, you should speak up as well."

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