John Leech | |
|---|---|
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| Leader of the Opposition on Manchester City Council | |
| Assumed office 5 May 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Astrid Johnson |
| In office 3 May 2022 – 1 July 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Himself (2021) |
| Succeeded by | Astrid Johnson |
| In office 3 May 2018 – 5 May 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Simon Wheale (2014) |
| Succeeded by | Himself (2022) |
| Member of Parliament for Manchester Withington | |
| In office 5 May 2005 – 30 March 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Keith Bradley |
| Succeeded by | Jeff Smith |
| Member of Manchester City Council for Didsbury West | |
| Assumed office 5 May 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Carl Ollerhead (Lab) |
| Majority | 702 (16.09%) |
| Member of Manchester City Council for Chorlton Park Barlow Moor (1998–2004) | |
| In office 7 May 1998 – 8 May 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Arthur Maloney (Lab) |
| Succeeded by | Bernie Ryan (LD) |
| Majority | 892 (30.8%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 April 1971 Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England |
| Political party | Liberal Democrat |
| Alma mater | Brunel University |
| Website | http://www.mcrlibdems.uk/ |
John Sampson Macfarlane Leech[citation needed] (born 11 April 1971[1]) is a British Liberal Democrat politician who was Member of Parliament for Manchester Withington from 2005 to 2015. Since 2016, he has represented Didsbury West on Manchester City Council.
He is best known for Alan Turing's pardon,[2] and the Turing Law which granted a posthumous pardon to more than 49,000 men convicted of gross indecency.[3][4] He was also the first MP to speak out against the bedroom tax in Parliament.[5]
Leech served on the city council from 1998 and was elected to the House of Commons at the 2005 general election. In the 2005–2010 Parliament he was a member of the Transport Select Committee and a Shadow Transport Spokesperson on the Liberal Democrat frontbench team from 2006 to 2010, when the Liberal Democrats entered a coalition with the Conservatives. He held his seat with an increased majority in 2010. He has campaigned in particular on gay rights, affordable housing and refugees.
He played a role in the campaign to outlaw homophobic chanting at football matches,[6] and put pressure on leaders in Greater Manchester to take on Syrian child refugees. He lost his Parliamentary seat at the 2015 general election, but was elected to Manchester City Council a year later as the sole opposition member. He was Leader of the Opposition on the council from 2018 to 2021, and for two months in 2022.
- ^ "John Leech". BBC. Archived from the original on 21 October 2007. Retrieved 2 October 2007.
- ^ "Bank of England honours Alan Turing on £50 note". QNews. 15 July 2019.
- ^ "John Leech secures historic deal with Government on 'Alan Turing Law'". outnewsglobal.com. 20 October 2016.
- ^ Barlow, Nigel (3 November 2018). "Turing on £50 note will be painful reminder of what we lost".
- ^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 09 Mar 2011 (pt 0003)". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
- ^ "Early day motion 1265 - HOMOPHOBIC CHANTING AT FOOTBALL GAMES". UK Parliament. Retrieved 24 June 2018.