Patricia Janet Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, (born 19 August 1955), is a British diplomat, barrister and politician, serving as the sixth
secretary-general
Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derived ...
of the
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the C ...
. She was elected at the
2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and took office on 1 April 2016. She is the first woman to hold the post.
She was elevated to the
House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminst ...
in 1997 and, as a British
Labour Party politician, served in ministerial positions within the
UK Government
ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd
, image = HM Government logo.svg
, image_size = 220px
, image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg
, image_size2 = 180px
, caption = Royal Arms
, date_est ...
, most notably as the
Attorney General for England and Wales
His Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales is one of the law officers of the Crown and the principal legal adviser to sovereign and Government in affairs pertaining to England and Wales. The attorney general maintains the Attorney G ...
and
Advocate General for Northern Ireland. She is a
dual citizen of the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
and
Dominica
Dominica ( or ; Kalinago: ; french: Dominique; Dominican Creole French: ), officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island. It is geographical ...
, where she was born.
Early life and career
Scotland was born on 19 August 1955 in
Dominica
Dominica ( or ; Kalinago: ; french: Dominique; Dominican Creole French: ), officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island. It is geographical ...
, the 10th child of 12 born to Roman Catholic parents, a Dominican mother and
Antigua
Antigua ( ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the native population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Bar ...
n father. Her family emigrated to
Walthamstow
Walthamstow ( or ) is a large town in east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London and the ancient county of Essex. Situated northeast of Charing Cross, the town borders Chingford to the north, Snaresbrook and Sout ...
in north-east London when she was two years old, where she attended
Chapel End Primary School and
Walthamstow School for Girls
Walthamstow School for Girls is single sex girls' secondary school situated in Walthamstow, London. It currently educates 900 girls between the ages of 11–16..
Locally, the school is known as 'Green School'. It is close to Walthamstow Centra ...
. She then went on to
Mid Essex Technical College in
Chelmsford
Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Southend-on-Sea and Colchester. It is located north-east of Londo ...
, where she obtained a
Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Ch ...
degree from
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degr ...
as an external student. She was called to the
bar
Bar or BAR may refer to:
Food and drink
* Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages
* Candy bar
* Chocolate bar
Science and technology
* Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment
* Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud
* Bar ( ...
at the
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's I ...
in 1977, specialising in family law, and was called to the Dominican bar in 1978.
In 1991, Scotland became the first black woman to be appointed a
Queen's Counsel
In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister o ...
. She later founded the (now closed) 1 Gray's Inn Square barristers chambers.
Early in 1997, she was elected as a
Bencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales or the Inns of Court in Northern Ireland, or the Honorable Society of King's Inns in Ireland. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher ca ...
of the
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's I ...
. Scotland was named as a Millennium Commissioner on 17 February 1994, and was a member of the
Commission for Racial Equality. She received a
life peerage
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages A ...
on a
Labour Party list of
working peers
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...
and was created Baroness Scotland of Asthal, of
Asthal in the
County of Oxfordshire on 30 October 1997.
Politics
From 1999 to 2001, Scotland was the
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom. Equivalent to other countries' ministries of foreign affairs, it was created on 2 September 2020 through the merger of the Foreig ...
, where she was responsible, among others, for the UK Government's diplomatic relations with
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...
, the
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean ...
,
Overseas Territories
A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal.
In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or an ...
,
Consular Division
A consul is an official representative of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, as well as to facilitate trade and friendship between the people ...
,
British Council
The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh lan ...
, administration and all Parliamentary business in the
House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminst ...
. Scotland introduced the
International Criminal Court Bill which sought to ratify the jurisdiction of the
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court (ICC or ICCt) is an intergovernmental organization and International court, international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to pro ...
into UK law. She established the
Pro Bono Lawyers Panel, a panel of British-based lawyers who provided legal advice on a ''
pro bono
( en, 'for the public good'), usually shortened to , is a Latin phrase for professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment. In the United States, the term typically refers to provision of legal services by legal professionals for pe ...
'' basis to United Kingdom nationals imprisoned in foreign countries. She created an Overseas Territories Council for the Caribbean and reformed and restructured the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Consular Division to be able to respond more effectively to emergencies and disasters abroad such as the
11 September attacks.
In 2001 she became Parliamentary Secretary,
Lord Chancellor's Department
The Lord Chancellor's Department was a United Kingdom government department answerable to the Lord Chancellor with jurisdiction over England and Wales.
Created in 1885 as the Lord Chancellor's Office with a small staff to assist the Lord Chancel ...
, and was made a member of the
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
The Privy Council (PC), officially His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the sovereign of the United Kingdom. Its membership mainly comprises senior politicians who are current or former members of ei ...
. She was the minister formally responsible for civil justice and the reform of civil law including the comprehensive reform of land registration leading to the
Land Registration Act 2002
The Land Registration Act 2002c 9 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which repealed and replaced previous legislation governing land registration, in particular the Land Registration Act 1925, which governed an earlier, though si ...
. She was also formally responsible for international affairs at the Lord Chancellor's Department and was appointed by Prime Minister
Tony Blair
Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of t ...
as the UK Alternate Representative to the European Convention and was given primary responsibility for the negotiations in relation to the Charter of Rights which were successfully concluded in 2003. During this period she consolidated the strong relations created with all the applicant countries through the FAHR programme and the member states and was subsequently awarded the Polish Medal for her contribution to the reform and development of Law in Poland.
Scotland was an unsuccessful contender for a
cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filin ...
position in 2003, when Blair reportedly considered appointing her
Leader of the House of Lords.
In 2003, Scotland was made
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. I ...
for the Criminal Justice System and Law Reform at the
Home Office and deputy to the Home Secretary. She served in that post until 2007 under three Home Secretaries:
David Blunkett,
Charles Clarke
Charles Rodway Clarke (born 21 September 1950) is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.
Early life
T ...
and
John Reid. While at the Home Office she was responsible for major reform of the criminal justice system. She created the Office of Criminal Justice Reform which helped to create and support the National Criminal Justice Board and the Local Criminal Justice Board. Having acted as chair, she then created three Alliances to reduce re-offending (Corporate, Civic and Faith based Alliance) and the Corporate Alliance against Domestic Violence. She created an advisory group on victims and the Criminal Justice Centre, Victims and Witness units.
Scotland created Inside Justice Week and the Justice Awards. She introduced the Crime and Victims Act, which created the new offence of familial homicide that was successfully used to prosecute the killers of
Baby P who would otherwise have escaped responsibility for his death.
Scotland continued her responsibility for international affairs at the Home Office and continued to represent the UK in a number of international negotiations such as those relating to extradition.
NatWest Three
A new
extradition treaty with the United States had been signed on 31 March 2003. Scotland had the responsibility for promoting the necessary legislation in the House of Lords. The "
NatWest Three
The NatWest Three, also known as the Enron Three, are three British businessmen – Giles Darby, David Bermingham and Gary Mulgrew. In 2002 they were indicted in Houston, Texas on seven counts of wire fraud against their former employer Greenw ...
" extradition case made use of this treaty. The three men were British citizens, living in the UK and working for a British bank. On 12 July 2006, in a highly unusual move, the Speaker of the House of Commons,
Michael Martin, allowed an emergency debate on both the treaty and the NatWest Three after a request by Liberal Democrat frontbencher
Nick Clegg
Sir Nicholas William Peter Clegg (born 7 January 1967) is a British media executive and former Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who has been president for global affairs at Meta Platforms since 2022, having previously been vicep ...
.
During the debate, Scotland's view in 2005 that a higher threshold to establish
probable cause was required by the UK to extradite from the US than vice versa was contrasted by Clegg to comments which the Prime Minister had made in July 2006, in which he stated that the evidential burdens on the two countries were the same. The NatWest Three were subsequently extradited, and accepted a
plea-bargain under which they pleaded guilty to a single count of wire fraud in the United States and were sentenced to 37 months' imprisonment.
Attorney General
On 28 June 2007, Scotland was appointed
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general.
In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...
by Prime Minister
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in Tony ...
.
She was the first woman to hold the office since its foundation in 1315.
During her time as Attorney General, Scotland continued to promote ''
pro bono
( en, 'for the public good'), usually shortened to , is a Latin phrase for professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment. In the United States, the term typically refers to provision of legal services by legal professionals for pe ...
'' work by lawyers and created an international and Schools Pro Bono Committee which was responsible for co-ordinating ''pro bono'' work. She created the Pro Bono Awards and Pro Bono Heroes. She also created the Attorney General's Youth Network.
She was the last Attorney General for England and Wales also to be the Attorney General for Northern Ireland before the devolution of justice powers to the
Northern Ireland Assembly
sco-ulster, Norlin Airlan Assemblie
, legislature = Seventh Assembly
, coa_pic = File:NI_Assembly.svg
, coa_res = 250px
, house_type = Unicameral
, house1 =
, leader1_type = S ...
, and appointment of a separate Attorney General for Northern Ireland. She became instead Advocate General for Northern Ireland, the UK government's chief advisor on Northern Ireland law, for a brief period until Labour left office.
Shadow Attorney General
When Labour left government on 11 May 2010, Scotland became the Shadow Attorney General and was reappointed to that role by
Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel "Ed" Miliband (born 24 December 1969) is a British politician serving as Shadow Secretary of State for Climate Change and Net Zero since 2021. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Doncaster North since 2005. Miliba ...
when he appointed his first Shadow Cabinet in October 2010.
In November 2012, she was appointed
Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy to
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
.
Local government
In December 2014, Scotland was elected as the
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members ...
for the ward of
Bishopsgate
Bishopsgate was one of the eastern gates in London's former defensive wall. The gate gave its name to the Bishopsgate Ward of the City of London. The ward is traditionally divided into ''Bishopsgate Within'', inside the line wall, and ''Bisho ...
in the
City of London
The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London f ...
, having stood (in accordance with convention in the City) as an independent candidate.
Commonwealth Secretary-General
At the
2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Scotland was nominated for the position of
Commonwealth Secretary-General by her native country of
Dominica
Dominica ( or ; Kalinago: ; french: Dominique; Dominican Creole French: ), officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island. It is geographical ...
and defeated
Antiguan diplomat
Ronald Sanders, who was thought to have been the frontrunner for the position,
and former
deputy secretary-general for political affairs Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba
Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba is a Botswana administrator and an international civil servant, with over 30 years senior-level experience in the fields of business, development and multilateral diplomacy. Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba was the Commonwealth Dep ...
of
Botswana
Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label= Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kal ...
to become the 6th Commonwealth Secretary-General and the first woman to hold the post. She began her first of a maximum of two possible four-year terms on 1 April 2016.
Her candidacy was opposed by
Hugh Segal, former Canadian special envoy to the Commonwealth and
senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
, who wrote in an editorial that she was not qualified for the position because she "accepted a well-paying brief from a
junta
Junta may refer to:
Government and military
* Junta (governing body) (from Spanish), the name of various historical and current governments and governing institutions, including civil ones
** Military junta, one form of junta, government led by a ...
in the
Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
to argue against the Commonwealth’s legitimacy when it and Canada sought the restoration of democracy in that country."
Her bid to have her four-year term automatically renewed was rejected in June 2020, in contrast to the usual convention where an incumbent seeking a second term in office is elected unopposed for his or her second term. This followed a "significant and diverse number of colleagues from across the Commonwealth" raising objection to the proposal, due to allegations of
cronyism following an audit of the Commonwealth Secretariat's procurement practices. Her first term was extended,
however, due to the postponement of the
2020 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Lady Scotland was re-elected to a second term at the
2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, reportedly defeating Jamaican foreign minister
Kamina Johnson Smith
Kamina Johnson Smith is a Jamaican attorney and politician. A member of the Jamaica Labour Party, Johnson Smith is currently the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in the second Holness cabinet. Since 2009 Johnson Smith has been a mem ...
by 27 votes to 24. As her first term had been extended by two years due to the pandemic and the postponement of the 2020 CHOGM, Scotland promised that she will only serve for two more years instead of a full four-year term.
In her capacity as Secretary General, Baroness Scotland read a scripture reading at the funeral of
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
in
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
on 19 September 2022.
Controversies
Illegal immigrant employment penalty
In January 2009 Scotland employed Lolo Tapui, an illegal immigrant as a cleaner. Tapui had been using a forged passport for the period up to and including December 2008. Tapui was later jailed for eight months for fraud, possessing a false identity stamp, and overstaying her UK visa. At her trial Tapui admitted to having been paid £95,000 by the ''Daily Mail''. She was later deported to her native
Tonga
Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...
.
Scotland, who was Attorney General at the time, had earlier been subjected to a penalty of £5,000 for employing Tapui. She had not kept copies of relevant documents to check Tapui's immigration status and could therefore not establish a statutory defence. The rules were established when Scotland was a Home Office minister. The investigation by the
UK Border Agency
The UK Border Agency (UKBA) was the border control agency of the Government of the United Kingdom and part of the Home Office that was superseded by UK Visas and Immigration, Border Force and Immigration Enforcement in April 2013. It was f ...
found that Scotland did not "knowingly" employ an illegal worker.
Expenses controversy
In November 2016 political blogger
Guido Fawkes
Guido Fawkes is a right-wing political website published by British-Irish political blogger Paul Staines.
History
In September 2004, Staines began writing an anonymous blog about British politics under the name of Guido Fawkes, an alternative ...
published purported extracts from leaked documents exposing Scotland's extravagant spending on redecorating her
grace and favour apartment in
Mayfair
Mayfair is an affluent area in the West End of London towards the eastern edge of Hyde Park, in the City of Westminster, between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane. It is one of the most expensive districts in the world ...
,
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
. Scotland denied the claims in a statement posted on the Commonwealth's website, insisting there had been "no extravagance at all" and explained that the spending was agreed by
Kamalesh Sharma, the Commonwealth's secretary-general from 2008 to 2016.
Contract controversy
In January 2020, Scotland faced further criticism of her role as secretary-general of the Commonwealth for awarding a consultancy contract to a company run by a friend. The Audit Committee of the international organisation noted that she offered a contract to a fellow Labour peer,
Lord Patel of Bradford, despite his firm being "apparently insolvent" and "circumventing" the normal competitive tendering process. Auditors also found that procurement rules had not been observed by the secretariat on over 50 occasions.
Charitable work
Scotland is the Patron of the Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence and of
Chineke! Foundation
Chineke! Orchestra () is a British orchestra, the first professional orchestra in Europe to be made up of majority Black & ethnically diverse musicians. The word Chineke derives from the Igbo language meaning "God". The orchestra was founded by ...
. She is the joint Patron of Missio, a charity which is the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
's official support organisation for overseas mission. She is also a patron of
Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB)
Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB) is a national charity founded (as International Social Service UK) in 1955 that provides advice in resolving international child protection cases.
CFAB is the only charity in the UK which provides inter ...
, a charity dedicated to reuniting children who have been separated from their families.
Awards
Scotland has been voted Peer of the Year by
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
,
''The House'' magazine, Parliamentarian of the Year by the Spectator and the Political Studies Association, and received a number of other awards for her contribution to law reform in the UK and abroad.
Scotland was awarded an
honorary degree
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad h ...
from the
University of East London
, mottoeng = Knowledge and the fulfilment of vows
, established = 1898 – West Ham Technical Institute1952 – West Ham College of Technology1970 – North East London Polytechnic1989 – Polytechnic of East London ...
in 2005.
Scotland has also been ranked the most influential Black Briton in the annual ''"
Powerlist"'', having been ranked first in 2010, and in 2007 & 2008 when the list had separate male/female rankings.
Scotland was decreed and invested by
Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, as a Dame of Merit with Star of the
Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George in 2003. In 2014 she was appointed to the Council of the British and Irish Delegation of the Constantinian Order and promoted in rank to Dame Grand Cross of Merit.
On 1 January 2014 she was appointed
chancellor
Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
of the
University of Greenwich
The University of Greenwich is a public university located in London and Kent, United Kingdom. Previous names include Woolwich Polytechnic and Thames Polytechnic.
The university's main campus is at the Old Royal Naval College, which along with it ...
.
In 2015, she was listed as one of
BBC's 100 Women.
Personal life
Scotland resides in London and in
Asthal, where she and her husband Richard Mawhinney, also a barrister, live with their two sons.
Scotland's son Matthew Mawhinney has appeared on the reality series ''
Too Hot to Handle''. In 2021 he was arrested and fined for abusing cabin crew on a British Airways flight, including shouting "Look up who my mum is – Baroness Scotland
..go and get me a drink" after being refused alcohol.
Arms
Notes
References
External links
*
Interview with Baroness Patricia Scotlandby
Julian Rogers. 7 December 2014.
"Child of the Caribbean , Baroness Scotland , TEDxPortofSpain" YouTube, 17 December 2014.
, -
, -
, -
, -
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scotland, Patricia
1955 births
Living people
21st-century Roman Catholics
Alumni of Anglia Ruskin University
Alumni of University of London Worldwide
Alumni of the University of London
Attorneys General for England and Wales
Attorneys General for Northern Ireland
Black British women politicians
English King's Counsel
English Roman Catholics
English women lawyers
Commonwealth Secretaries-General
Dominica emigrants to England
English people of Antigua and Barbuda descent
Labour Party (UK) life peers
Life peeresses created by Elizabeth II
20th-century English lawyers
21st-century English lawyers
Members of the Middle Temple
Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Northern Ireland Government ministers
People associated with the University of Greenwich
People educated at Walthamstow School for Girls
20th-century King's Counsel
Presidents of Chatham House
People from Walthamstow
Dominica people of Antigua and Barbuda descent
Women government ministers in the United Kingdom
Advocates General for Northern Ireland
Women Law Officers of the Crown in the United Kingdom
BBC 100 Women
20th-century women lawyers
21st-century women lawyers