Rt Hon Jack Straw is one of three senior Ministers to remain in Cabinet throughout the 1997 to 2010 Labour Governments under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He was Foreign Secretary (2001-2006), Home Secretary (1997-2001), Leader of the Commons (2006-7), and Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary (2007-10). After Labour lost... Read more
Rt Hon Jack Straw is one of three senior Ministers to remain in Cabinet throughout the 1997 to 2010 Labour Governments under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He was Foreign Secretary (2001-2006), Home Secretary (1997-2001), Leader of the Commons (2006-7), and Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary (2007-10). After Labour lost power in 2010, Straw served for six months as Shadow Deputy Prime Minister, and then stood down from the Shadow Cabinet, having served on Labour’s Front Bench for over thirty years.
Straw was a Member of Parliament for Blackburn from 1979 to 2015, when he retired from the Commons. His approach won praise from Margaret Thatcher, who once declared “I would trust Jack Straw’s judgement. He is a very fair man”. Before becoming an MP, Straw practised as a Barrister, and then worked as a Special Adviser in the 1974-79 Labour Government. Appointed Foreign Secretary in 2001, Straw played a leading role in the dramatic foreign policy problems arising from the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and the resulting interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was instrumental in helping to avoid an extremely dangerous armed conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir in 2002.
He was a member of the European Council for five years. In 2005 he led successful efforts to open formal EU membership negotiations with Turkey. He is co-Chairman of the government-sponsored British-Turkish Forum. Straw was given the Order of the Republic of Turkey by President Abdullah Gül in 2012. With his French and German counterparts, Jack initiated the “E3” (later “P5+1”) negotiations with Iran over their nuclear programme, and has taken a close interest in Iran ever since, having visited it eight times.
In July 2019 he published “The English Job: Understanding Iran, and why it distrusts Britain” (Biteback), which has been very well reviewed: ‘Highly readable, full of vivid history” (Observer); “Essential reading..clear-sighted and lucid” (Sunday Times).
He was a Visiting Professor at University College London School of Public Policy until 2024. He was Chairman of the Blackburn Youth Zone from 2015-2023 and remains a Trustee, and from 2017 a Trustee of the Star (Tauheedul) Education Trust, which runs over twenty mainly Muslim state-funded schools. Straw is a Trustee of the Global Strategy Forum, and of the Atlantic Partnership. He is a trustee of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and was previously a Distinguished Fellow, and a Bencher of the Inner Temple. He is an adviser to a number of companies. He is Honorary Vice-President of the Blackburn Rovers Football Club.
Straw was appointed by Prime Minister David Cameron as a member of the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information (2015-16), and served as a member of the Archbishops’ Council on the future of Cathedrals. In 2012 he published ‘Last Man Standing: Memoirs of a Political Survivor’ (2012, Macmillan). The Times’ reviewer said that this was a ‘masterclass in the art of government…lucid, engaging, humorous, occasionally self-deprecating, and generally frank’.
You can book Jack Straw through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Jack's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Jack Straw's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Jack tailored to your event.
Jack Straw speaks on Brexit, Europe, Government & Politics, Middle East. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Jack to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Jack Straw for events worldwide, subject to Jack's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Jack Straw is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Jack can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Jack Straw on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Jack can offer.
Jack Straw delivers keynotes in English. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Jack Straw's areas of expertise include Brexit, Europe, Government & Politics, Middle East. To get a clear sense of Jack's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Jack Straw can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Brexit, Europe, Government & Politics, Middle East is relevant. Details of Jack's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Jack Straw is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Jack Straw, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Jack's current availability for your dates.