Tributes pour in for Geoffrey Bindman, legal ‘titan of human rights’

Tributes have been paid across the legal profession and political sphere to Sir Geoffrey Bindman KC (Hon), the prominent human rights lawyer and founder of Bindmans LLP, following his death aged 92 on 4 November.

Bindman was known for defending Palestinian rights and for rejecting the weaponisation of antisemitism allegations in Labour for political ends.

Bindman co-founded his London law firm in 1974 with what colleagues described as an early and explicit commitment to representing those without power.

In its announcement, the firm said it had been founded to “protect the rights and reputations of local Londoners” and to act for “progressive organisations and businesses”.

The firm said he had “an extraordinarily impactful legal career, not only as a litigator but as an architect of UK equality and human rights law”.

“After his retirement from the partnership he continued to take a keen interest in the firm as a consultant, writing articles and providing support and advice to us all,” it added.

“He was a magnificent lawyer and a profoundly honourable man. He was a significant force for good and will be deeply missed.”

Bindman was knighted in 2007 for services to human rights and appointed honorary Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel) in 2011. In 2023, he received a Lifetime Contribution Award recognising what colleagues described as the depth and longevity of his influence on public law and civil liberties work in the UK.

He also held long-standing roles in equality law, serving as legal adviser to the Race Relations Board between 1966 and 1976, and later to the Commission for Racial Equality from 1976 to 1983.

He was a founding advisory board member of the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), which also paid tribute. The organisation called him “a champion of Palestinian people’s rights and a titan of human rights law”.

“He leaves behind a powerful legacy of a tireless pursuit of a world governed by justice, fairness and equality,” ICJP said.

'A brilliant lawyer, who devoted his life to championing human rights'

John McDonnell, Labour MP

Tributes highlighted Bindman’s role in defending individuals and groups facing discrimination or reputational attack, including within the Labour Party.

Broadcaster Sangita Myska wrote: “This is incredibly sad news. Geoffrey Bindman was a titan of English Human Rights Law. His firm acted on my behalf when I was subjected to false claims of antisemitism by James O’Brien & LBC. He is a great loss to all those who believe in fairness & justice.”

Labour MP and former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said: “I’m so sorry to hear Geoffrey Bindman has died. A brilliant lawyer, who devoted his life to championing human rights, especially of those most oppressed & victimised in our society. He lived a long & fulfilling life. Condolences to his family & friends.”

Journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown said: “Geoffrey Bindman has died. He was one of the greatest British Jewish lawyers and human rights advocates ever. And a thoroughly decent man.”

Antisemitism in Labour

In an interview with Middle East Eye’s chief editor David Hearst in August 2022, Bindman addressed the handling of antisemitism allegations within the Labour Party.

He cited his own experience, both as a Jewish person who experienced antisemitism growing up in the north-east of England and as a long-standing Labour member with decades of involvement in party legal and policy work.

Geoffrey Bindman on Labour's antisemitism scandal: 'There has been political manipulation'

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His definition of antisemitism was like that of the Oxford dictionary: "‘hostility or prejudice against Jews as Jews’,” he told MEE.

“Unfortunately, what has crept into the notion of antisemitism is the idea of hostility to the State of Israel, and that I think has been rather cynically developed by people who strongly support Israel, including the Israeli government itself, with the view to suppressing criticism of Israel's policies and treatment of the Palestinians.”

On his personal experience of antisemitism early in his career, he recalled being welcomed into a leading firm in Newcastle before being told he could “never become a partner” because he was Jewish. “I walked out and never saw him again,” he said.

Speaking about the Labour Party, Bindman said: “I’ve had close involvement with the Labour Party for many years, and I can say that I’ve never really experienced antisemitism among fellow Labour Party members or in Labour meetings.”

He agreed with Jeremy Corbyn’s argument that the scale of antisemitism in Labour had been exaggerated. “He did not say that antisemitism itself was not highly important, but he said there was not as much of it as had been suggested and he is absolutely right about that,” he said. “If you look at the facts you can't justify what Keir [Starmer] has said or done unless he's using it as a pretext. A political strategy.”

 'Geoffrey was never shy in calling out the shortcomings and inadequacies of the UK’s justice system'

- Antonia Mulvey, Legal Action Worldwide

As to Corbyn himself, Bindman said: “Jeremy is not antisemitic.”

He criticised the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s investigation into Labour, calling its findings “a very strange animal” and describing two of the legal conclusions relating to harassment and agency as “legal nonsense”.

“I think there has been political manipulation and the allegations were almost entirely bogus,” he said. “There's antisemitism everywhere, but it was wrong to single out the Labour Party, to single out Jeremy Corbyn.”

Bindman played a notable role in the landmark case surrounding the arrest of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in London in 1998, intervening on behalf of Amnesty International in litigation that reached the House of Lords.

The case established that former heads of state could not claim blanket immunity for acts of torture, helping to embed the principle of universal jurisdiction in UK law: the idea that certain grave crimes can be prosecuted anywhere, regardless of where they were committed.

Bindman later denounced the UK for failing to apply the same principle consistently.

“There is an understandable presumption in favour of territoriality... but that is too easy an excuse for abdicating responsibility,” Bindman wrote in an article for the New Law Journal.

Commenting on his legacy, Legal Action Worldwide founder and executive director, Antonia Mulvey wrote: "His words remain true today - Geoffrey was never shy in calling out the shortcomings and inadequacies of the UK’s justice system."