Helena Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws
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The Right Honourable The Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws QC, FRSA |
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Kennedy signing The Convention on Modern Liberty in January 2009
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| Born |
Helena Ann Kennedy 12 May 1950 Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Barrister, television presenter |
| Employer | Mansfield College, Oxford; BBC |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Spouse(s) | Iain Louis Hutchison; 2 children |
| Partner(s) | Iain Mitchell (1978–84); 1 child |
| Children | Keir Kennedy Mitchell Clio Kennedy Hutchison Roland Kennedy Hutchison |
| Website | www |
Helena Ann Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws, QC, FRSA (born 12 May 1950), is a British barrister, broadcaster, and Labour member of the House of Lords. Baroness Kennedy is a former chair of the Human Genetics Commission, which advises Her Majesty's Government on ethical, social, and legal issues arising from developments in genetic science.
Lady Kennedy was born in Glasgow to a devoutly Roman Catholic family. She is one of four sisters born to Joshua Patrick and Mary Veronica (née Jones) Kennedy, both committed Labour activists. Her father, a printer with the Daily Record, was a trade union official. She attended Holyrood Secondary School in Glasgow, where she was appointed Head Girl.
Kennedy still regularly attends Mass and professes that her Catholicism "remains very much part of who I am", even though she eschews its more traditional values. She went on to study Law at London's Council of Legal Education.
Among her many cases, Kennedy acted as junior counsel for child murderer Myra Hindley during the latter's 1974 trial for plotting to escape from Holloway.
Lady Kennedy rebels against her party whip in the House of Lords more frequently than any other Labour Peer, having a dissent rate of 33.3%. She was Chair of Charter 88 (1992–97) and is closely affiliated to the educational charity Common Purpose.
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