Joel Joffe, Baron Joffe
Encyclopedia
Joel Goodman Joffe, Baron Joffe CBE
(born 1932) is a Labour
peer
in the House of Lords
.
Born in South Africa
, he was educated at the University of Witwatersrand (BCom, LLB 1955), and worked as a human rights
lawyer 1958-65, including at the infamous 1963-4 Rivonia Trial
, representing Nelson Mandela
. Later he moved to the United Kingdom
, and worked in the financial services industry, setting up Hambro Life Assurance
, as well as in the voluntary sector. He was associated with Oxfam
in various roles between 1982 and 2001, including being its Chair 1995-2001.
In 2006 he was awarded an Honorary Degree (Doctor of Laws) from the University of Bath
.
He was awarded the CBE
in 1999, and made a Life peer
on 16 February 2000, being raised to the peerage as Baron Joffe, of Liddington in the County of Wiltshire
. In February 2003 he proposed as a Private Member's Bill
the "Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill", which would legalise physician-assisted dying
. After deliberation by a Lords committee, the bill was put forward again in November 2005.
On 12 May 2006 the Bill was debated once again in the House of Lords and an amendment to delay its introduction by six months was carried by a margin of 148-100.
He appeared on the BBC
radio programme Desert Island Discs
on 28 October 2007.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 1932) is a Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
Born in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, he was educated at the University of Witwatersrand (BCom, LLB 1955), and worked as a human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
lawyer 1958-65, including at the infamous 1963-4 Rivonia Trial
Rivonia Trial
The Rivonia Trial was a trial that took place in South Africa between 1963 and 1964, in which ten leaders of the African National Congress were tried for 221 acts of sabotage designed to overthrow the apartheid system.-Origins:...
, representing Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
. Later he moved to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and worked in the financial services industry, setting up Hambro Life Assurance
Allied Dunbar
Allied Dunbar was a large British assurance group. In its early years as Hambro Life Assurance it was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index...
, as well as in the voluntary sector. He was associated with Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
in various roles between 1982 and 2001, including being its Chair 1995-2001.
In 2006 he was awarded an Honorary Degree (Doctor of Laws) from the University of Bath
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
.
He was awarded the CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1999, and made a Life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
on 16 February 2000, being raised to the peerage as Baron Joffe, of Liddington in the County of Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. In February 2003 he proposed as a Private Member's Bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
the "Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill", which would legalise physician-assisted dying
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
. After deliberation by a Lords committee, the bill was put forward again in November 2005.
On 12 May 2006 the Bill was debated once again in the House of Lords and an amendment to delay its introduction by six months was carried by a margin of 148-100.
He appeared on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio programme Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs
Desert Island Discs is a BBC Radio 4 programme first broadcast on 29 January 1942. It is the second longest-running radio programme , and is the longest-running factual programme in the history of radio...
on 28 October 2007.
Publications
- Joel Joffe, The Rivonia Story, Mayibuye Books, Cape Town, 1995
- Joel Joffe, The State Vs. Nelson Mandela: The Trial That Changed South Africa, Oneworld Publications, 2007
External links
- House of Lords biography
- Announcement of his introduction at the House of Lords House of Lords minutes of proceedings, 22 February 2000
- Mandela trial papers at AIM25 - includes some biographical information about Joel Joffe
- Lord Joffe on TheyWorkForYou - including his speeches in Parliament