Patron

Alan was a Labour MP from 1997 to 2017. During that time he held numerous cabinet positions, including Home Secretary, Secretary of State for Education and Skills and Secretary of State for Health.

His hobbies include music, tennis, reading, cookery, football (especially Queens Park Rangers) and radio.

Orphaned at the age of 13, Alan was then brought up by his sister Linda, who was only 3 years older than he was. Linda has been recognised as the hero of Alan’s poignant 2013 autobiography ‘This Boy: A Memoir of Childhood’. Alan has been an active patron of Family Rights Group for many years.

Sir Andrew McFarlane was called to the Bar in 1977 and practiced in chambers in Birmingham until 1993 when he moved to specialist family law chambers in London. He appeared at all levels of court including the House of Lords and the European Court of Human Rights. He was appointed as a QC in 1998. In April 2005 he was appointed to the High Court, Family Division and was for 5 years the Family Division Liaison Judge for the Midland Circuit. He was the legal member of the Government ‘Family Justice Review’ Panel. In July 2011 he was appointed to be a Lord Justice of Appeal sitting full time in the Court of Appeal. On the 28th July 2018 Sir Andrew succeeded Sir James Munby as President of the Family Division and Head of Family Justice; a position he retired from in Easter 2026.

Together with the late David Hershman he is the co-author of the legal text book “Children: Law and Practice”. In addition, he has contributed to other publications and lectured throughout the UK and abroad.

Sir Andrew was announced as a patron of Family Rights Group in June 2026.