Wikipedia

Sarah Sackman

Sarah Rebecca Sackman (born October 1984) is a British barrister and Labour Party politician who has served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Finchley and Golders Green, and as the Solicitor General for England and Wales since 2024.[1][2] She has gained prominence for her work in environmental and public law, as well as her political activities within the Labour Party.[3]

Sarah Sackman
MP
Sackman in 2024
Solicitor General for England and Wales
Assumed office
9 July 2024
Prime MinisterKeir Starmer
Preceded byRobert Courts
Member of Parliament
for Finchley and Golders Green
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byMike Freer
Majority4,581 (9.2%)
Personal details
BornOctober 1984 (age 39)
London, England
Children2
Alma mater
Websitehttps://sarahsackman.com/

Early life & education

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Sarah Sackman was born and raised in East Finchley. She attended South Hampstead High School,[4] where she was head girl.[5] Sackman went on to study at the University of Cambridge in 2003, where she graduated her Bachelor's in 2006 with a First in History. She attended at the same time as Wes Streeting.[6][7][8][9] She would go on to obtain a Graduate Diploma in Law with distinction at City, University of London and an LLM from Harvard Law School specialising in cities, housing, local government and poverty law.[10]

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Sackman took a Scholarship in 2008 as a Judicial clerkship at the Supreme Court of Israel in Jerusalem.[7] From October 2008 Sackman worked as a Barrister and Housing expert for Francis Taylor Building, a chambers specialising in planning law.[11][12] Sackman took on Human Rights training at the British Council in Yangon, Burma in 2013.[7][13]

In 2017 The Markaz El Tathgheef el-Eslami group (MTE) bought Golders Green Hippodrome with the intention of converting it into an Islamic centre; there were a number of objections from residents who cited concerns, such as parking and congestion, but some opposed the move on the grounds of a Muslim centre being located in an area (Golders Green) with a large Jewish population.[14] Sackman, acting for MTE, said it was hard to see how it had “not been treated differently to other religious groups who have previously used the building.”[15] It is notable that in 2021 Hillsong Church purchased the venue.[16]

Sackman contributed a chapter to Community-Led Generation - A Toolkit for Residents and Planners by Pablo Sendra and Daniel Fitzpatrick on using the law to and challenging redevelopment through courts. The book was published in 2020.[17] Between September 2021 to 2024[9] Sackman worked as a barrister at Matrix Chambers along with Richard Hermer the current Attorney General for England and Wales[7] and worked on a number of cases mainly focused on Public and Environmental Law.[18] In 2022 Sackman worked on the Appellant team in R (on the application of Coughlan) v Minister for the Cabinet Office against the Government trial of voter ID arguing that it was unlawful to be made under Representation of the People Act 2000.[19][20] The appeal was dismissed on grounds that section 10 enabled pilot schemes under the condition that the government encouraged voting which it did where reduction in voter fraud increased voter confidence.[21]

Early political career

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In 2015 Sackman stood for the Labour Party in Finchley and Golders Green; she won the preliminary selection against Alon Or-Bach and Catherine Tuitt.[4] She lost the election to the incumbent Mike Freer who won with a majority of 5,662 votes.[22]

In 2024 Sackman stood again for the same constituency against Cllr Arjun Mittra and won the preliminary.[23] Sackman stood on supporting economic growth, particularly in small businesses, cutting business rates for small businesses and freezing energy prices, investing in skills and giving grants to provide work for young unemployed. Putting more money into the NHS, a new system where care for the elderly. Get more police back on the streets.[24] She holds that a Labour government would continue to regard British ties with Israel as important. But she said it must continue to advocate for a negotiated peace with the Palestinians, and for “democratic values”.[25]

Sackman was backed by a number of Labour politicians including Prime Ministers Gordon Brown,[26] Keir Starmer[27] and Chancellor Rachel Reeves.[28] Sackman won the election with a majority of 4,581 votes.[29] In her victory speech which was held at Royal Air Force Museum[30] Sackman said the community would “triumph over hate” in a campaign in which Labour’s record on tackling anti-semitism came under the spotlight.[31] and that she would help to build: “A society where nurses aren’t forced to visit foodbanks; where women and girls aren’t afraid to walk home at night; where we act when we see the planet on fire, and where we welcome rather than demonise those, like my ancestors, who come to this country fleeing persecution.”[32][33]

Member of Parliament

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Inside Housing listed Sackman as one of eight newly elected MPs who would be advocates for the cause of social housing in the new Labour government due to her experience with planning and environmental law and her work with the charity Shelter.[34]

On 9 July 2024, she was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales.[1][2] Sackman took her Oath on the Hebrew Bible.[35]

Personal life

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Sackman is a member of New North London Synagogue where she had led children Shabbat services, she is both Ashkenazi and Sephardi,[36] she has two children and is married to a lawyer. They married in Bevis Marks Synagogue.[37] Sarah's father is a north London solicitor of east European descent and 300 years ago her mother’s family moved from Spain, Italy and Morocco to Gibraltar, where they own a 150-year old perfumery.[25] Sackman served as School governor for four years in a state primary in Camden, and has also volunteered at Toynbee Hall Free Legal Advice Centre.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b Morton, Becky; Zeffman, Henry. "Starmer gives government jobs to brand new MPs". BBC News. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Finchley and Golders Green MP given ministerial role". Barnet Post. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  3. ^ Courea, Eleni; correspondent, Eleni Courea Political (5 June 2024). "Rising stars who could play a big part in a Labour government". The Guardian.
  4. ^ a b "Lawyer Sarah Sackman to stand as Labour candidate for Finchley and Golders Green". Ham & High. 2 September 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Labour's Sarah Sackman tipped as 'most likely to become PM' at school". Ham & High. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  6. ^ "X". Archived from the original on 5 July 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Sarah Sackman". Matrix Chambers.
  8. ^ "Labour's Sarah Sackman tipped as 'most likely to become PM' at school". Ham & High. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Sarah Sackman LinkedIn". LinkedIn.
  10. ^ https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lselondon/challenges-of-participation-and-representation-in-urban-development-sarah-sackman-barrister-at-francis-taylor-building-lent-term-seminar/
  11. ^ "[Home page]". Francis Taylor Building. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Sarah Sackman | Barrister London | Francis Taylor Building". 31 July 2021. Archived from the original on 31 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Sarah Sackman". Legal500. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  14. ^ Sherwood, Harriet; correspondent, Harriet Sherwood Religion (6 November 2017). "Faith leaders condemn 'racist' objections to Golders Green mosque". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  15. ^ Doherty, Rosa. "Golders Green Islamic centre decision delay". The JC. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  16. ^ Sherwood, Harriet (21 October 2021). "Megachurch buys Golders Green Hippodrome after mosque plan blocked". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  17. ^ Sendra, Pablo; Fitzpatrick, Daniel (15 April 2020). Community-Led Generation: A Toolkit for Residents and Planners. UCL Press. ISBN 978-1-78735-606-1.
  18. ^ "British and Irish Legal Information Institute - Search results for Sarah Sackman". British and Irish Legal Information Institute (Search results on cases from the Courts of the four jurisdictions of the United Kingdom and from the Courts of Ireland.). Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Supreme Court hears Voter ID challenge". Matrix Chambers. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  20. ^ "R (on the application of Coughlan) (Appellant) v Minister for the Cabinet Office (Respondent) - The Supreme Court". The Supreme Court. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  21. ^ "JUDGMENT R (on the application of Coughlan) (Appellant) v Minister for the Cabinet Office (Respondent)" (PDF). Supreme Court UK.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ "Election result for Finchley and Golders Green (Constituency) - MPs and Lords - UK Parliament". Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  23. ^ Neame, Katie (12 October 2022). "Four make longlist for parliamentary selection in Finchley and Golders Green". LabourList. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  24. ^ "Sarah Sackman tells Parikiaki why she should be the next MP for Finchley & Golders Green | Parikiaki Cyprus and Cypriot News". 2 April 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  25. ^ a b Rose, David. "Sir Keir's Jewish candidate for Finchley opens up about family life". The JC. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  26. ^ Bell-Cross, Lorin. "Former PM backs Labour's Sackman in Golders Green". The JC. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  27. ^ Harpin, Lee (7 June 2024). "Starmer: There has to be a 'safe and secure Israel' for Labour to recognise Palestine". Jewish News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  28. ^ Harpin, Lee (7 February 2023). "Rachel Reeves: My anger at Labour MP's 'fascist Israel' outburst". Jewish News. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  29. ^ "Finchley and Golders Green - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  30. ^ Dunne, John (5 July 2024). "Labour wins Margaret Thatcher's former constituency from Tories". Evening Standard. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  31. ^ Dunne, John (5 July 2024). "Labour wins Margaret Thatcher's former constituency from Tories". Evening Standard. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  32. ^ Floyd, David (5 July 2024). "Victorious Sarah Sackman says "changed Labour" is "beacon of hope"". Barnet Post. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  33. ^ Evening Standard (5 July 2024). "Finchley And Golders Green: Labour's Sarah Sackman Wins - Evening Standard". Sarah Sackman Victory Speech following election to MP of Finchley and Golders Green (UK Parliament constituency). Royal Air Force Museum London. x91k64k. Retrieved 12 July 2024 – via Dailymotion.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  34. ^ Birch, Jules (20 August 2010). "The new generation of social housing allies in Westminster". Inside Housing. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  35. ^ "Parliamentlive.tv - House of Commons.html". parliamentlive.tv. House of Commons: © Parliamentary Copyright. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  36. ^ Rose, David. "'I'll be a strong Jewish voice in government pledges Labour's candidate for Golders Green". The JC. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  37. ^ Sackman, Sarah. "Sarah Sackman on X_ _I love Bevis Marks Synagogue".
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Finchley and Golders Green
2024–present 		Incumbent
Legal offices
Preceded by Solicitor General for England and Wales
2024–present 		Incumbent
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