'She gave victims a voice': tribute to Baroness Newlove
Baroness Newlove: 28 December 1961 – 11 November 2025 I Image courtesy of UK Parliament
3 min read
Conservative peer and victims' commissioner, Helen Newlove channelled the pain of personal tragedy into an extraordinary life of service dedicated to ensuring victims receive the justice they deserve
Baroness Helen Newlove was appointed to the House of Lords in July 2010. Her journey to the House had begun after the murder of her then-husband Garry Newlove.
After this brutal event in 2007, Helen could have easily withdrawn from life as she had known it – but she did not. She turned tragedy into extraordinary purpose, channelling her personal pain into a life of service dedicated to advocating for victims. She ensured that the criminal justice system gave victims a fair hearing and the justice they deserved.
Helen gave victims a voice – and a loud and effective one at that. It was as a result of all this work that Helen was ennobled. When Helen told one of her colleagues that she was only in the Lords because her husband was murdered, she was told in no uncertain terms that this was rubbish: she was appointed because there was a job to do – one she did so very well.
Helen Newlove had a number of roles in her short but effective career, firstly appointed as a government champion for active safer communities in 2010, and later serving three terms as victims' commissioner from 2013 to 2025 (the last as interim commissioner).
She was also made pro-vice chancellor of Bolton University in 2019. Following the announcement of her death last month, the acting vice chancellor Dr Greg Walker paid tribute to Helen’s “incredible work to give a voice to victims of crime after her own appalling experience”. Describing Helen as a “wonderful, caring person”, he said her work had made a huge difference and she “was very much respected and admired by the university community”.
Helen was also the first chair of the Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP), a post she held from 2011 to 2014. When she took the role on, CAP had 35 community partnerships – now it has 350.
Additionally Helen was an integral part of the Women of The Year Awards, serving as a board member and latterly as its patron.
Helen gave victims a voice – and a loud and effective one at that
But it was in her role as victims' commissioner that Helen Newlove had such an impact. Among her significant achievements she drove reforms to place victims at the heart of the justice system, and laid crucial groundwork to enshrine victims’ rights in law. Her 2019 report Still living a nightmare shone the spotlight on the impact of anti-social behaviour (the report later revised in 2023).
And as victims' commissioner, in 2024 Helen oversaw the largest victims survey ever produced by her office; published this year, it captured the voices of 6,500 victims.
These are just a few examples of her achievements. Her other most important role was as wife, mother, and grandmother to a beautiful family who have lost a wonderful member of their team.
Helen was taken far too early from her family, her many other roles, and from this House. What she would be telling us to do now – in no uncertain terms – would be to keep up her fight to support, champion, and get a better deal for victims. We must all sign up to this. It is said that some people come into politics to be something, and some to do something: there is no doubt where Helen stood.
The House of Lords is the poorer for her loss; society is, without doubt, the richer for her impact.
Helen Newlove: wife, mother, grandmother, victims’ champion, Noble friend – and my dearest friend – rest in peace, we will never forget you.
Baroness Stedman-Scott is a Conservative peer
