Emily Thornberry

Emily Anne Thornberry (born 27 July 1960) is a British Labour politician who has served as Shadow Foreign Secretary since 2016 and Shadow First Secretary of State since 2017. She has been the MP for Islington South and Finsbury since 2005.

Thornberry in 2017

Quotes

2016

• Yesterday’s motion gave us the opportunity to send the opposite message to the world … that, while Saudi Arabia will remain a valued strategic, security and economic ally in the years to come, our support for their forces in Yemen must be suspended until the alleged violations of international humanitarian law in that conflict have been fully and independently investigated. And until the children of Yemen have received the humanitarian aid that they so desperately need.
  • Said after dozens of Labour MPs were absent for a vote on withdrawing UK aid from Saudi Arabia's war on Yemen. Quoted by the Guardian. Labour MPs face backlash over failure to vote on Yemen campaign (27 October 2016)

• The communities who stand to lose out most from Brexit must be looked after first,
  • Labour will 'replace post-Brexit EU funding' in UK BBC News (26 September 2016)

• We cannot turn the clock back and run the Brexit vote again. We have been given our instructions by the British people and we must act on them.
  • Labour will 'replace post-Brexit EU funding' in UK BBC News (26 September 2016)

2017

• We need to leave the European Union but it is good for our economy - they're our biggest market - that we stay as close as we can
  • Brexit: 'No deal' planning is well under way, says minister BBC News (8 October 2017)

2018

• We have to negotiate a new agreement. That, we think, is likely to be a customs union that will look pretty much like the current customs union.
  • Labour and customs union: Evolution not revolution BBC News (22 February 2018)

• [A new agreement is needed] that we think is likely to be a customs union that will look pretty much like the current customs union.
  • Ministers conclude crunch Brexit talks at Chequers BBC News (23 February 2018)

• I think anybody who has looked into this issue has seen that it is quite clear that there is no other place that we can go than to remain in a customs union with the European Union - nothing else makes sense.
  • Brexit: Morgan calls for 'rational debate' on UK's customs plans BBC News (22 April 2018)

• Britain has disappeared into the Brexit black hole
  • Quoted by IFOREX. GBPUSD slid on never-ending Brexit/UK political saga and Trump's China tax "trial-balloon" (14 September 2018)

2019

• It is quite clear that the government of Venezuela is, on the face of it, responsible for human rights abuses and it does not have a plan to get themselves out of the situation they are currently in.
  • Quoted by the BBC. Emily Thornberry: Labour 'supports pressure' on Venezuela (6 February 2019)

• [Under a Labour government, there would be] no indulgence of human rights abuses because they are committed by less powerful countries, or by countries who call themselves 'socialist' but who, by their actions, betray every socialist ideal.
  • Emily Thornberry: Labour 'supports pressure' on Venezuela BBC News (6 February 2019)

• We've got to a stage where we feel that any deal is so controversial and may well be so far from what people voted for when they voted to leave, that we think that it is probably appropriate… that we say to the people, 'Is this what you wanted?' We just want to check. Because if it isn't, then let's stay.
  • 2019 European elections: Labour MPs push for referendum pledge BBC News (26 April 2019)

• Frankly, it’s a shame and a disgrace that the Equality and Human Rights Commission have been brought in to look at the Labour party, but they have. And I think we should now welcome it, open our doors up and say to them, right we have been trying to improve our processes, clearly it’s still not working, can you help us?
  • Said after the EHRC was asked to form an independent inquiry in regards allegations of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. Quoted by the Guardian. End the antisemitism soap opera, Emily Thornberry tells Labour (14 July 2019)

• Are we going to celebrate a Labour version of Brexit? No. We must have the Labour Party this week saying no to Brexit and we must lead the campaign to remain.
  • Jeremy Corbyn faces calls to resolve Labour Brexit divisions BBC News (22 September 2019)

• [Labour must] lead the campaign to remain
  • News Daily: Thomas Cook collapse and Labour Brexit row BBC News (23 September 2019)

Quotes about Thornberry

• I thought our Shadow Foreign Secretary saying she would be campaigning for Remain is quite shocking and goes 100% against our manifesto. More and more people are feeling more confirmed in their views that politicians say one thing in their manifestos and then change their view.
  • Said by Labour MP Kate Hoey after Thornberry said she would back 'remain' if their was a second referendum, despite Labour's manifesto in the 2017 general election saying that the party would support the result of the 2016 EU referendum. Quoted by LBC. Kate Hoey Says Emily Thornberry Is Wrong To Support Remain In Second Referendum (26 February 2019)