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Sir Robert James Buckland KBE KC (born 22 September 1968) is a British politician who served as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice from 2019 to 2021, and as Secretary of State for Wales from July to October 2022. A member of the Conservative Party, he was first elected as the member of Parliament (MP) for South Swindon in 2010, until losing the seat until the 2024 general election.

Key Information

Buckland was Solicitor General for England and Wales from 2014 to 2019 and Minister of State for Prisons from May to July 2019. He was appointed Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor by Boris Johnson in July 2019, serving until the cabinet reshuffle in September 2021. In July 2022, following the mass resignation of ministers from the Johnson government, he was appointed Secretary of State for Wales by Johnson, and continued to serve in the position under Liz Truss; he resigned from the role when new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took office in October 2022.

Before entering politics, Buckland was a barrister practicing in Wales, and also sat as a recorder (a type of part-time judge) in the Crown Court. He was appointed honorary canon of Bristol Cathedral in 2024. After losing his seat as an MP, he was appointed as the Church of England's Third Church Estates Commissioner in 2025.

Early life and career

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Robert Buckland was born on 22 September 1968 in Llanelli, Wales. He was educated at Old Road County Primary School (Welsh: Ysgol yr Hen Heol) and then privately at St Michael's School, Llanelli (Welsh: Ysgol Sant Mihangel).

In 1990, he graduated in law from Hatfield College, University of Durham, where he was Secretary of the Junior Common Room and President of the Durham Union Society in Michaelmas term 1989.[1] He was called to the bar in 1991 at the Inner Temple.[2]

Buckland practised as a barrister in Wales from 1992 to 2010,[3] specialising in criminal law at the Crown Court in Swansea, Cardiff, Merthyr and Newport. [4] He was appointed as a recorder in 2009, sitting as a part-time judge in the Crown Court.[4] He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 2014 on becoming Solicitor General and was elected as a Master of the Bench of Inner Temple.[5]

Pre-parliamentary political career

[edit]

Buckland stood as the Conservative Party candidate for Elli ward on Dyfed County Council in May 1993, winning the seat from Labour with a majority of just 3 votes. It was reported that he was the first Conservative "in living memory" to have been elected in the Llanelli area.[6] Following local government reorganisation, the Elli ward became part of the unitary Carmarthenshire County Council and Buckland stood again in 1995, losing to the Labour candidate by over 200 votes.[7]

At the 1994 European Parliament election, Buckland stood in South Wales West, coming second with 12.2% of the vote behind the Labour candidate David Morris.[8]

In 1995, Buckland stood in the 1995 Islwyn by-election, coming fourth with 3.9% of the vote.[9]

Buckland stood in Preseli Pembrokeshire at the 1997 general election, coming second with 27.7% of the vote behind the Labour candidate Jackie Lawrence.[10][11]

He was on the Conservative Party list of candidates for Wales at the 1999 European elections, but was not elected.[12]

At the 2005 general election, Buckland stood in South Swindon, coming second with 37.2% of the vote behind the Labour candidate Anne Snelgrove.[13]

Parliamentary career

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First term as MP (2010–2015)

[edit]

Buckland was elected to Parliament as MP for South Swindon at the 2010 general election with 41.8% of the vote and a majority of 3,544.[14][15]

In 2010, Buckland was elected to the Justice Select Committee. In 2012, along with fellow Tory MP Stuart Andrew, he called for prisoners' mobile phones to be destroyed or sold to raise money for victims' charities, saying that mobiles in prison were a "menace" and that selling them would provide a service to the country, as it costs £20,000 a year to store criminals' phones. They were both supported by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Legal Aid and Legal Services Jeremy Wright and Shadow Secretary of State for Justice Sadiq Khan.[16]

On 4 December 2012, Buckland was elected Joint Secretary of the 1922 Backbench Committee. He was also Chair of the Conservative Human Rights Commission from 2011 to 2014. He sat on the Standards Committee and the Privileges Committee from 2012 to 2014. He also served on the Joint Committee on Human Rights from 2013 to 2014 and the Joint Committee on Privacy and Superinjunctions which was convened from 2011 to 2012.[17]

On 15 July 2014, Buckland was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, replacing Oliver Heald as part of a wide-ranging Government reshuffle.[18]

His appointment as Solicitor General for England and Wales in July 2014 attracted media attention after it was revealed he had been found guilty of professional misconduct by the Bar Standards Board in 2011. He had led an investigation in 2008 into a racially motivated attack at a school at which he was a governor. Despite having no legal grounds to do so, Buckland sought to obtain documents relating to the incident that were held by a barrister representing one of the pupils involved.[19] In response, the attorney general's office stated that Buckland's breach had been "minor" and that the finding "was removed from the Bar records after two years and therefore Mr Buckland was not required to declare it upon appointment as Solicitor General."[20]

In February 2015, it was reported that Buckland was one of a number of individuals investing in the Invicta Film Partnership, which HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) had alleged to be a tax avoidance scheme. This followed a tax tribunal that had ruled that two film partnership schemes were being used primarily for tax avoidance rather than for business purposes and that the investors were not therefore entitled to the claimed tax relief. Buckland responded that he had not attempted to avoid tax and his investments were a matter of public record. He argued his financial adviser had looked into the companies and found them to be completely beyond reproach.[21]

Cameron ministry

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At the 2015 general election, Buckland was re-elected as MP for South Swindon with an increased vote share of 46.2% and an increased majority of 5,785.[22]

In January 2016, the Labour Party unsuccessfully proposed an amendment in Parliament that would have required private landlords to make their homes "fit for human habitation". According to Parliament's register of interests, Buckland was one of 72 Conservative MPs who voted against the amendment who personally derived an income from renting out property. The Conservative Government had responded to the amendment that they believed homes should be fit for human habitation but did not want to pass the new law that would explicitly require it.[23]

In 2016 it was reported that his preference was to remain in the EU, though Buckland never publicly stated this.[24]

May ministry

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Buckland's official portrait, 2017

At the snap 2017 general election, Buckland was again re-elected, with an increased vote share of 48.4% and a decreased majority of 2,464.[25]

In May 2019, Buckland was appointed as Minister of State for Prisons and Probation at the Ministry of Justice in succession to Rory Stewart, who had been appointed as Secretary of State for International Development. Buckland was replaced as Solicitor General for England and Wales by Lucy Frazer.

Secretary of State for Justice

[edit]

On 24 July 2019, Buckland was appointed Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor by incoming Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He was sworn in as a Member of the Privy Council the next day.[26]

He said that he had considerable relevant experience[27] and expressed an intention to "help drive through a massive programme of change".[28]

A week after being sworn-in, in an interview for The Times newspaper, he expressed the opinion that suspects accused of serious crimes should be granted anonymity if the accusations threatened their reputation, stating "let's say you are a reputable local business person who is accused of fraud. Your good name is going to be really undermined by this mere accusation. That might be a meritorious case for anonymity".[29] In response to the interview, Ian Murray, director of the Society of Editors, said it was "absurd to suggest that in a liberal democracy we are going to create a system of justice that enables the rich, the powerful and celebrities to be protected when they are under investigation for serious crimes but the ordinary man or woman would be offered no such protections." Buckland's opinion was rejected by a Government spokesman, who confirmed "this is not government policy", and the Ministry of Justice, which confirmed "this isn't departmental policy" and stated that Buckland would not be giving further interviews on the subject, which would now be handled by Downing Street.[30]

In the House of Commons, Buckland sat on the Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art, Statutory Instruments (Select and Joint Committees), Standards and Privileges Committee, Privacy and Injunctions (Joint Committee), Consolidation Bills (Joint Committee), Justice Committee and Human Rights (Joint Committee).[31]

At the 2019 Conservative Party Conference, Buckland set out plans to ensure that sexual and violent offenders would be required to serve two-thirds of their custodial sentence in prison, as opposed to half.[32]

Buckland was again re-elected at the 2019 general election, with an increased vote share of 52.3% and an increased majority of 6,625.[33][34]

In January 2020, Buckland announced he wished to open a new prison in Wales, despite the recent withdrawal of plans for a 1,600 prisoner "category C super-prison" in Port Talbot.[26] The proposal came after the announcement of Boris Johnson's plan to create a further 10,000 prison places in England and Wales.[35] The BBC at the time cited Cardiff University and Wales Governance Centre research which found Wales had "the highest imprisonment rate in western Europe".[26]

In September 2020, Buckland stated on The Andrew Marr Show that he would resign only if the UK Internal Market Bill broke the law "in a way I find unacceptable". Buckland defended plans to potentially override the Brexit withdrawal agreement as an emergency "insurance policy". He said he hoped powers being sought by ministers in the Internal Market Bill would never be needed, as a solution could be found with the EU.[36]

Buckland oversaw a UK prison management response to the COVID-19 pandemic which increased the time prisoners spent in their cells, but achieved what were seen as low infection rates.[37]

On 15 September 2021, Buckland was dismissed as Justice Secretary after Johnson reshuffled his cabinet.[38]

Secretary of State for Wales

[edit]

He was reinstated into Johnson's cabinet on 7 July 2022 when he succeeded Simon Hart as Secretary of State for Wales.[39]

On 13 August, Buckland wrote an article in The Daily Telegraph, changing his support from Rishi Sunak to Liz Truss in the July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election after disagreements with the former about the proposed British Bill of Rights.[40]

On 6 September 2022, he was re-appointed by Prime Minister Liz Truss.[41] It was reported that he declined to take up the role of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. As Welsh Secretary, Buckland played a role in the proceedings following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, attending the Accession Council and the proclamation of accession of King Charles III at Cardiff Castle.

At the 2022 Conservative Party Conference, Buckland stated his view that benefits should be uprated in line with inflation, amid a public debate on the matter, along with fellow cabinet ministers Penny Mordaunt and Chloe Smith.

Return to the backbenches

[edit]

On 25 October 2022, Buckland stood down from the Government upon Rishi Sunak's appointment as Prime Minister. He subsequently returned to the backbenches.

After leaving the role of Welsh Secretary, Buckland accepted an appointment to lead a review into boosting employment opportunities for autistic people on behalf of the Government and the Department for Work and Pensions in 2023.[42]

The November 2023 cabinet reshuffle saw Simon Hoare, the chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, made a local government minister, with Buckland announcing his intention to run to replace him as chairman. In the event, Buckland was elected unopposed.

Buckland lost his Swindon seat to Labour in the 2024 general election.[43] He was the first Conservative incumbent candidate to lose in the election night.

Post-parliamentary career

[edit]

On 25 February 2025, it was announced that Buckland would be the next Third Church Estates Commissioner, one of the senior lay people in the Church of England who has an automatic seat on the General Synod.[44] The Third Church Estates Commissioner chairs two committees: the Mission, Pastoral and Church Property Committee, and the Bishoprics and Cathedrals Committee.[45] He took up the post on 14 March 2025.[44]

Personal life

[edit]

Buckland is married to Sian, whom he met at university. They had twins in 2002, and live in Wroughton in his former constituency. Buckland's interests include music, wine, political history and watching rugby and cricket.[46][47] Buckland has a cat, named "Mrs Landingham" after a character on The West Wing.[48]

In January 2013, Buckland was awarded the "Grassroot Diplomat Initiative Award" under the Social Driving category for his extensive work on advocating awareness at Parliament for children with special educational needs, including those with autism, both locally and nationally.[49]

Buckland was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 2022 Political Honours and was invested by King Charles III in November 2022.[50]

Buckland is an Anglican Christian, and was made a lay canon of Bristol Cathedral in March 2024.[51]

References

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Robert Buckland

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Sir Robert Buckland KBE KC (born 1968) is a British and former Conservative Party politician who represented South Swindon as a from 2010 until the in 2024. Educated in law at University, where he graduated in 1990, Buckland was called to the bar by the in 1991 and specialised in criminal litigation for nearly two decades, serving on the Attorney General's list of prosecuting counsel from 1999 and as a part-time recorder from 2009. Within the Conservative Party, Buckland held backbench roles such as joint secretary of the from 2012 to 2014 and chair of the party's before ascending to positions under successive prime ministers. He served as from 2014 to 2019, for Prisons and Probation in 2019, and then as and from July 2019 to September 2021, during which he prioritised post-COVID recovery efforts for the courts, including backlog reduction and enhanced digital capabilities. Buckland was appointed in July 2022 under , a position he held until October 2022, and received a knighthood in the . His time as Justice Secretary included initiatives for tougher sentencing on dangerous offenders and probation reforms, though it was marked by persistent challenges such as court delays and low conviction rates for serious crimes like , prompting public apologies and commitments for improvement. Buckland also faced internal party pressure and calls to resign over the government's Internal Market Bill, which risked breaching commitments related to the . He was dismissed from the Justice role in Boris Johnson's 2021 reshuffle and lost his parliamentary seat in the 2024 general election. Following , Buckland took up a senior fellowship at Harvard Kennedy School's Mossavar-Rahmani in 2023.

Early life and education

Childhood and family influences

Robert Buckland was born on 22 September 1968 in , , , where he spent his early years. His family background emphasized community involvement and public service. Buckland's grandfather managed the local Labour Exchange, the forerunner to the modern Jobcentre, handling employment support in the area. His mother, Barbara Buckland, was a key figure in establishing early community transport services, pioneering what evolved into Dial-a-Ride, a scheme providing accessible mobility for disabled residents; she remained active in such initiatives throughout her life and passed away in July 2025 after a short illness. The family included at least one sibling, reflecting a stable household marked by long-term parental marriage spanning 60 years. Buckland has described his Llanelli upbringing as formative, noting exposure to local rugby culture, which he followed avidly as a , alongside the practical of his relatives' roles in and welfare support. These elements contributed to an environment valuing resilience and communal responsibility, though he has not publicly attributed direct causal links to his later legal or political pursuits.

Academic background and early achievements

Buckland studied law at Hatfield College, Durham University, earning a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 1990. During his undergraduate years, he held prominent student leadership positions, including President of the Durham Union Society and Secretary of the Junior Common Room at Hatfield College. Following graduation, Buckland completed his vocational training at the School of Law, where he received the Advocacy Prize for excellence in advocacy skills. This qualification enabled his by the in 1992, marking an early professional milestone in his legal career. In recognition of his later contributions to and public service, awarded him an honorary distinction as the first alumnus to serve as a law officer of , though this postdated his early academic phase.

Barrister practice and specializations

Buckland was called to the bar at the in October 1991, where he won a prize for advocacy. He commenced practice in from 1992, initially undertaking a general practice before specializing in criminal litigation. His work centered on proceedings in , , , and Newport, encompassing both prosecution and defence roles in serious cases. From 1999 to 2010, Buckland served on the Attorney-General's List of Prosecuting Counsel, acting as junior counsel in matters ranging from and to defraud to regulatory and health and safety offences. He maintained a substantial defence practice, frequently leading in complex criminal trials, which honed his expertise in within the adversarial Welsh . This period established his reputation in prior to his entry into in 2010.

Judicial roles and appointments

Buckland was appointed a Recorder of the Crown Court in 2009, serving part-time on the Midland Circuit and presiding over criminal trials. This role involved handling cases ranging from serious offenses to regulatory matters, drawing on his prior experience as a criminal barrister. He continued in this capacity until 2019, when his increasing parliamentary and ministerial duties, including his appointment as Lord Chancellor, led him to step down. In 2014, Buckland was appointed Queen's Counsel (now ), a mark of distinction for senior barristers selected for their advocacy skills and . The appointment, made on the advice of the Lord Chief Justice and approved by the , reflected his established practice in criminal defense and prosecution, including high-profile cases. He also became a Master of the Bench at the that year, further affirming his position within the .

Political entry and parliamentary service (2010–2024)

Initial election and constituency representation

Buckland was first elected as the for South in the general election on 6 May 2010, defeating the incumbent Labour candidate Anne Snelgrove with 19,687 votes to her 16,143, securing a majority of 3,544 (7.5% swing from Labour). This result represented a Conservative gain in a constituency previously held by Labour since its creation in 1997, amid a national shift that saw the Conservatives form a with the Liberal Democrats. Turnout stood at 64.9% among an electorate of 72,619. Swindon South encompasses southern suburbs of the town, including residential areas like West Swindon and Shaw, alongside commercial and industrial zones tied to the local economy's focus on manufacturing and logistics. In his role as representative, Buckland prioritized addressing constituent casework through regular advice surgeries, handling thousands of individual queries on issues such as housing, employment, and public services. He advocated for economic development, including support for the redevelopment of the former Honda plant to create up to 7,000 jobs, and pushed for improvements in rail fares and infrastructure along the Great Western Main Line to enhance connectivity for commuters and businesses. These efforts reflected the area's reliance on transport links and advanced manufacturing, with Buckland emphasizing local regeneration to counter challenges like factory closures and skills gaps.

Ministerial roles under Cameron and May

Robert Buckland was appointed for on 15 July 2014 by Prime Minister as part of a mid-term . In this position, one of the principal , he supported in advising the government on legal matters, representing it in domestic and international courts, and contributing to affecting the justice system. The role also involved parliamentary duties, such as answering questions on prosecutions and issues. The appointment occurred shortly after Buckland, a practising and recorder, had been censured in 2011 by the Bar Standards Board for breaching conduct rules by failing to disclose material information in a case; the stated that the matter had been reviewed and did not preclude his suitability. Buckland retained the post following the Conservative victory in the May 2015 and Cameron's formation of a . Buckland's tenure as Solicitor General continued seamlessly after Cameron's resignation on 13 July 2016, under incoming Prime Minister , who prioritized stability in senior legal roles amid post-referendum challenges. During this period, he addressed issues including the legal implications of , public initiatives, and scrutiny of the Crown Prosecution Service's operations. On 10 May 2019, in a minor reshuffle as May sought to consolidate her administration ahead of deadlines, Buckland transitioned to for Justice, focusing on prisons, probation, and offender rehabilitation. He served in this capacity until May's resignation on 7 June 2019, overseeing policy responses to and reforms to community sentencing.

Justice Secretary under Johnson

Robert Buckland was appointed and on 24 July 2019, following Boris Johnson's ascension to , succeeding in the role. In this position, he held the ancient office of , which carries a constitutional duty to protect the independence of the and uphold the , while overseeing the Ministry of Justice's operations, including prisons, courts, probation services, and . His tenure, lasting until 15 September 2021, coincided with significant challenges, including the pandemic's disruption to the justice system and post-Brexit legislative adjustments. A priority was addressing and capacity, with Buckland announcing plans for up to additional prison places at a cost of £2.5 billion, aimed at modernizing facilities and increasing the estate's ability to hold serious offenders without early releases. He supported ending automatic early release for certain prisoners serving short sentences, shifting toward tougher sentencing to deter , as part of broader Conservative commitments. Buckland also advanced the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, introduced in 2021, which sought to increase maximum sentences for assaults on emergency workers, reform sentencing for dangerous offenders, and enhance police powers, though it drew criticism for potentially limiting rights; he defended the measures as proportionate and necessary for public protection. The severely strained the justice system under Buckland's watch, with prisons facing outbreaks due to high densities and limited space for . He implemented restrictions, including halting non-essential visits and releasing low-risk prisoners early to reduce populations by up to 4,000, but these measures faced a challenge from the Howard League for Penal Reform and Prison Reform Trust, alleging inadequate risk assessments and failures to follow pre-pandemic guidance on infectious diseases in custody. Courts experienced a backlog surge, with cases delayed; Buckland responded by establishing temporary Nightingale courtrooms and expanding remote hearings, though critics noted persistent delays exacerbating victims' waits. In correspondence with reform groups, he outlined adaptations like enhanced testing and vaccination prioritization for inmates, asserting the response mitigated worse outcomes despite constraints. Buckland's commitment to the was tested by the Internal Market Bill in 2020, which included clauses enabling ministers to breach the on customs; while initially expressing unease, he maintained the bill aligned with and did not fundamentally undermine legal principles, framing the debate as political rather than constitutional. He emphasized that observance should transcend party lines, amid broader concerns from legal bodies about ministerial powers overriding international obligations. His tenure ended in Johnson's September 2021 reshuffle, with taking over, amid reports of Buckland's perceived moderation clashing with demands for more assertive reforms on and sentencing.

Wales Secretary and later positions

Buckland was appointed on 7 July 2022 by Prime Minister amid a triggered by mass ministerial resignations, including his own earlier departure from the Justice Secretary role. His tenure, which extended briefly into the premiership following her reappointment of him on 6 September 2022, focused on representing Welsh interests within the government, including engagements with devolved authorities. He held meetings with Welsh to discuss intergovernmental matters, such as forward-looking policy coordination in August 2022. During his time in the role, Buckland visited community renewal projects in on 30 September 2022, inspecting UK government-funded initiatives aimed at addressing food poverty and supporting adults with learning disabilities. He also convened a roundtable with key agricultural stakeholders to address sector-specific concerns, as noted in the Wales Office's annual report for 2022-23. His appointment leveraged his Welsh birthplace in , though the position's short duration—ending with his dismissal by incoming Rishi Sunak on 25 October 2022—limited major policy outputs amid the rapid turnover of governments. Following his removal from the cabinet, Buckland returned to the backbenches as a Conservative MP for South Swindon, contributing to ary debates on legal and constitutional issues. In November 2023, he was elected unopposed as chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee, a position he held until the in May 2024. In this role, he oversaw inquiries into topics such as integrated education in and public funding allocations, emphasizing legislative and fiscal scrutiny.

Defeat in 2024 election

In the United Kingdom's general election on 4 2024, Robert Buckland was defeated in the Swindon South constituency, which he had held since 2010 under its previous designation as South Swindon. Labour candidate secured victory with 21,676 votes (48.4% share), while Buckland received 12,070 votes (26.9% share), resulting in a Labour majority of 9,606 votes. This outcome reversed Buckland's 2019 majority of approximately 6,618 votes in the former South Swindon seat, amid boundary adjustments that slightly favored Labour on a notional basis. Buckland's loss marked one of the earliest high-profile Conservative defeats declared that night, signaling the scale of the party's national setback, with Labour gaining the seat as its first from the Conservatives in the election cycle. The result reflected broader voter shifts, including strong performance with 6,194 votes (13.8% share), which split the right-wing vote in the constituency. Following the declaration, Buckland expressed frustration with his party's direction during a live interview, stating he was "fed up" with "cheap " and criticizing the Conservatives' "ill-disciplined" strategy that alienated moderate voters. He described the defeat as akin to being "sacked on " and warned of potential "" for the party without reform, attributing losses to internal divisions and a failure to counter effectively. These remarks highlighted ongoing tensions within the Conservative Party post-election, as Buckland, a centrist figure, distanced himself from its rightward shift.

Policy positions and legislative contributions

Criminal justice and prison reforms

As Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor from July 2019 to September 2021, Robert Buckland pursued a "whole system approach" to , emphasizing integration across prisons, , and sentencing to enhance public safety and rehabilitation. He advocated for prisons as one component of broader reforms, rejecting a return to pre-Covid operational norms and prioritizing data-driven interventions to address overcrowding and reoffending. Buckland accelerated probation service reforms, announcing in June 2020 the reunification of services under management, reversing elements of the 2014 partial amid pressures. This shift aimed to improve supervision of low- and medium-risk offenders, with an explicit goal of reducing reoffending rates, which had risen to approximately 32% following prior changes. The reforms included enhanced community sentencing options, supported by tailored interventions to promote dynamic offender management and lower through rehabilitation-focused programs. In sentencing policy, Buckland launched a culminating in a September 2020 white paper that proposed longer custodial terms for serious violent and sexual offenders while expanding effective community alternatives to custody for less severe crimes. These measures sought to balance deterrence with rehabilitation, including post-release support such as up to 12 weeks of temporary accommodation and assistance starting in summer 2021 to aid reintegration and curb reoffending. He also committed to expanding capacity by 10,000 places to address chronic , framing this as essential for maintaining regime integrity and purposeful activity within facilities. Buckland's initiatives extended to victim protections, such as advocating increased sentences for grooming gangs, integrated into a post-Covid rebuilding that linked enhancements with improvements to foster safer communities. Outcomes remained mixed, with reunification praised for restoring oversight but challenged by implementation hurdles, while sentencing proposals faced scrutiny over their impact on populations without corresponding reductions in overall crime rates.

Human rights, ECHR, and rule of law

As Lord Chancellor and from July 2019 to September 2021, Buckland launched an independent review of the on 7 December 2020, aimed at assessing whether the legislation had drawn judges into political controversies and ensuring alignment with the UK's sovereignty while preserving core protections. He emphasized that were "deeply rooted in our ," rejecting wholesale replacement of the Act with a new and advocating targeted reforms to address perceived imbalances rather than abandonment. Earlier, as chair of the Conservative Party from around 2012, Buckland promoted party engagement with human rights frameworks, reflecting a commitment to integrating them with domestic priorities like . Buckland has consistently opposed British withdrawal from the (ECHR), describing it as a "grave mistake" that would isolate the as the only to exit and undermine global credibility without resolving migration challenges like the policy, which he attributed to domestic implementation failures rather than convention constraints. In August 2023, he highlighted bilateral deals, such as with , as evidence that ECHR membership could facilitate returns without exit, expressing optimism for preservation under government policy. By September 2024, he labeled ECHR focus a "reddest of red herrings" distracting Conservatives and making the party "look weird," favoring internal reforms over departure, as reiterated in a February 2022 defending state constraints under the convention as legitimate. He publicly dissented from Badenoch's 2025 pledge to leave if Conservatives regain power, prioritizing loyalty to established international commitments. On the , Buckland stressed its foundational role in British society, warning in September 2023 against complacency amid risks to principles like and executive accountability. In a July 2023 interview, he expressed alarm at global challenges to the international rules-based order, including from actors like and , underscoring the UK's duty to uphold it domestically and abroad. As , he positioned the "above party politics" in June 2021, critiquing its "misuse" to "weaponise the courts against politics" and calling for clearer definitions to balance with judicial oversight, without eroding core protections. His October 2020 Opening of the speech and July 2021 address on reforms further advocated calibrated judicial restraint to prevent overreach into policy domains while safeguarding against "fundamental breaches." Buckland campaigned for Remain in the 2016 EU membership , reflecting his longstanding commitment to British participation in the , which dated back to his entry into the Conservative Party in 1985 and his involvement in pro-EU groups like the European Movement. Following the result favoring departure, he accepted the outcome and advocated for leaving via a negotiated deal rather than no-deal scenarios, while opposing efforts like the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill that would have delayed indefinitely. In January 2019, he publicly rejected calls for a second , arguing it would exacerbate political and social instability without altering the democratic mandate. As Justice Secretary from July 2019 to September 2021, Buckland defended the Internal Market Bill in September 2020, describing provisions to override aspects of the EU Withdrawal Agreement as an "" against potential EU , while emphasizing that such measures would not breach domestic law and that he would resign if the government violated the in an unacceptable manner. This position drew criticism from senior Conservatives, including former chancellors and law officers, who urged his resignation over the bill's implications for international legal obligations, highlighting tensions between the government's pragmatic approach to securing and traditionalist concerns for compliance. Buckland likened the process to "political brain surgery," underscoring the complexity of disentangling UK law from EU frameworks without disrupting judicial functions. Within the Conservative Party, Buckland's stances positioned him as a bridge between Remain-leaning moderates and the party's post-referendum majority favoring completion of , though his rule-of-law caveats on legislation like the Internal Market Bill fueled perceptions of reluctance among hardline Brexit advocates. By March 2022, he argued that debates over the precise form of should be consigned to , prioritizing forward-looking implementation over reversal, which aligned with the leadership contest's shift away from EU exit as a dominant issue. His tenure under , culminating in a September 2021 reshuffle dismissal amid broader cabinet changes, reflected ongoing intra-party frictions where ministerial loyalty to government Brexit policy clashed with independent legal judgments, contributing to factional divides between One Nation pragmatists and hardliners.

Controversies and criticisms

Professional conduct breach and appointment disputes

In 2011, Robert Buckland, then a practising barrister and Recorder (part-time judge), was found by the Council of the Inns of Court to have breached the Bar Standards Board's Code of Conduct in connection with his involvement in a 2008 criminal case in Swindon. The case involved an assault on a white schoolboy by a group of 13 Asian teenagers, during which Buckland, acting informally on behalf of the victim's family as a local MP, contacted the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to request case notes without disclosing his dual role or obtaining proper authorisation, alongside fellow barrister Robin Shellard. The disciplinary tribunal classified the violation as minor, imposing no fine, suspension, or other penalty, allowing Buckland to continue practising and sitting as a judge. The breach surfaced publicly in July 2014 upon Buckland's appointment as by , prompting criticism that he had not disclosed it during the vetting process. The government confirmed the censure but defended the appointment, noting the tribunal's determination of no ongoing fitness-to-practise concerns. Labour's shadow justice minister, , described the appointment as "an insult to lawyers," arguing it undermined public confidence in the legal system's integrity. The mother of the assault victim also demanded Buckland's resignation, citing his improper access to sensitive materials as exacerbating the family's distress over perceived leniency in the original prosecution. Buckland maintained that his actions stemmed from constituent casework duties as an MP and did not involve personal gain or prejudice to the case, apologising for any procedural lapse while emphasising the absence of sanctions. The episode highlighted tensions between parliamentary and professional ethical standards for barristers, with critics questioning whether Buckland's elevation to a senior officer role—responsible for upholding prosecutorial —aligned with expectations of exemplary conduct. Despite the controversy, Buckland retained the position until , with no further disciplinary actions recorded against him in public sources.

Internal Market Bill and rule of law challenges

In September 2020, as Justice Secretary and , Robert Buckland defended the Internal Market Bill, which sought to prevent post-Brexit trade barriers within the by granting ministers powers to override certain aspects of the in the EU Withdrawal Agreement. The bill's clauses 44 to 47, which allowed regulations to modify the Protocol's application without EU consent, prompted widespread criticism for potentially violating , with the government itself acknowledging on 14 September 2020 that it would "break international law in a very specific and limited way." Buckland argued the measures served as an "insurance policy" against EU bad faith, emphasizing that they were temporary and targeted, not a wholesale repudiation of treaty obligations. Buckland testified before the Constitution Committee on 14 October 2020, where he likened to "political brain surgery," underscoring 's role in safeguarding market integrity amid unresolved trade talks. He maintained that any legal breach would be justifiable only if necessary to protect vital national interests, stating on 13 September 2020 that he would resign if the government broke the law "in a way I find unacceptable." Despite this, Buckland voted for on 14 September 2020, expressing particular reservations about clause 45, which empowered ministers to implement regulations without full parliamentary scrutiny. The episode drew accusations that Buckland, bound by the to uphold and the , had compromised his office by endorsing provisions that preemptively undermined treaty commitments and limited . The House of Lords Constitution Committee warned on 11 September 2020 that threatened to erode confidence in treaty adherence, potentially damaging future international negotiations. Legal commentators, including those from the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, highlighted clauses 44-47 as incompatible with core rule-of-law principles like and . In a June 2021 speech at , Buckland reframed the controversy, asserting that the Internal Market Bill debate had been mischaracterized as a rule-of-law crisis when it was fundamentally a political dispute over implementation, and insisted that upholding the transcended party lines. The bill ultimately passed but was later withdrawn in December 2020 after a UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement rendered its contentious clauses redundant, averting prolonged legal challenges. Buckland's stance drew internal Conservative Party tensions, with some backbenchers praising his loyalty to government policy while others, including former prime ministers and , decried the bill as damaging to UK credibility.

Post-election remarks and party critiques

Following his defeat in the Swindon South constituency on July 4, 2024, where Labour's secured a of 9,606 votes, Sir Robert Buckland became the first senior Conservative MP to lose their seat in the general election. In a live interview shortly after the result was declared, Buckland voiced sharp frustration with his party's internal dynamics, stating, "I'm fed up of personal agendas, and jockeying for position," and likening Conservative leadership contenders to "bald men arguing over a ." Buckland criticized what he termed " politics," accusing colleagues of prioritizing "strike poses, write inflammatory op-eds and say stupid things they have for" over substantive work. He specifically lambasted the party's proposal as "totally oversold," arguing it exemplified "cheap " that alienated voters without delivering practical outcomes. Buckland attributed the Conservatives' broader electoral collapse to an inability to "get its [act] together," emphasizing failures in evidence-based governance amid factional infighting. In subsequent comments, Buckland reiterated his disdain for unsubstantiated rhetoric, telling reporters he was "fed up" with Conservatives making "stupid" and inflammatory statements lacking evidential support, which he said undermined the party's . These remarks positioned him as an early voice urging reflection on strategic missteps, including a shift away from divisive posturing toward unified, pragmatic reform. By September 2024, he extended his critiques to policy obsessions like exiting the (ECHR), warning that such focus made the party "look weird" and served as a "reddest of red herrings" distracting from core issues.

Post-parliamentary engagements

Church of England appointments

In 2024, Buckland was installed as an Honorary Lay Canon of , one of six new honorary canons appointed to support the cathedral's mission and ministry within the . The installation occurred on 3 March 2024, recognizing his contributions to public life and Christian faith, which he has described as sustaining him through political challenges. As an honorary lay canon, Buckland fosters connections between the cathedral and broader community initiatives, drawing on his legal and parliamentary background. On 25 February 2025, Buckland was appointed Third Church Estates Commissioner by the , succeeding the Rt Revd Dr Winfield following her elevation to . He assumed the role on 14 March 2025, joining the Commissioners' Board of Governors and chairing the Mission, Pastoral and Church Property Committee, which oversees strategic assets, pastoral reorganisation, and mission funding. The position, one of three statutory commissioners appointed by , involves representing the Church's financial and property interests in the and contributing to governance of its £10.3 billion endowment as of 2024. Buckland's legal expertise in justice and property matters aligns with the role's focus on ethical and diocesan support. Following his defeat in the July 2024 general election, Buckland resumed legal practice as a (KC), specialising in , , and . He maintains an active role at Foundry Chambers, where he handles complex cases drawing on his prior experience as a recorder of the Crown Court from 2009 to 2014. In advisory capacities, Buckland serves as and Head of Policy at Payne Hicks Beach LLP, a position he assumed in March 2023 and continued post-parliament, focusing on policy advisory services informed by his governmental tenure. He also joined the DAC Beachcroft Policy Unit as a in April 2024, providing strategic legal advice on and regulatory matters. Most recently, in September 2025, he was appointed Senior Consulting Partner at Chambers, leveraging his expertise in system reforms and international legal frameworks. These roles underscore Buckland's transition from parliamentary duties to legal consultancy, where he advises on high-level disputes and policy intersections without direct involvement in active litigation as primary counsel.

Personal life

Family and relationships

Buckland married Sian in 1997, having met her at . The couple have twin children, and George, born in 2002. has autism, an experience that informed Buckland's establishment in 2022 of a fund in her name to assist families of children with additional needs or disabilities. The family resides in Wroughton, .

Interests and affiliations

Buckland's personal interests include music, wine, political history, and watching rugby and . Among his affiliations, he is a member of the , a private members' club established in with a focus on , , and ; Buckland joined in 2019.

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