Leo Docherty

Leo Docherty
Official portrait, 2020
Minister of State for the Armed Forces
In office
26 March 2024 – 4 July 2024
Prime MinisterRishi Sunak
Preceded byJames Heappey
Succeeded byLuke Pollard
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Europe[a]
In office
7 September 2022 – 26 March 2024
Prime MinisterLiz Truss
Rishi Sunak
Preceded byGraham Stuart
Succeeded byNus Ghani
Minister for Defence People
In office
7 July 2022 – 7 September 2022
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded bySarah Atherton
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence People and Veterans
In office
21 April 2021 – 7 July 2022
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byJohnny Mercer
Succeeded byJohnny Mercer
Assistant Government Whip
In office
29 July 2019 – 21 April 2021
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Member of Parliament
for Aldershot
In office
8 June 2017 – 30 May 2024
Preceded bySir Gerald Howarth
Succeeded byAlex Baker
Personal details
Born (1976-10-04) 4 October 1976 (age 48)[1]
Glasgow, Scotland
Political partyConservative
SpouseLucy
Children2
Alma materSOAS, University of London
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst[2]
Military career
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service / branch British Army
Years of service2002-2006
RankCaptain
Service number555125
UnitScots Guards
Battles / warsIraq War
War in Afghanistan

Leo Docherty (born 4 October 1976) is a former British Conservative politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Aldershot from 2017 to 2024. He served as Minister of State for the Armed Forces from March to July 2024.[3]

Prior to being elected as an MP, he served in the Scots Guards, before working in publishing and for the Conservative party. He is the author of Desert of Death (2007). Docherty was first elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2019, but was defeated by Alex Baker of the Labour Party in 2024 as part of a large nationwide swing from the Conservatives to Labour, following a defeat in the local elections earlier in the year.[4][5] This marked the first time since the constituency's creation in 1918 that a non-Conservative MP had been elected.

Doherty served as Minister for Defence People from July 2022 to September 2022.[6] in the Boris Johnson ministry and as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Europe from September 2022 to March 2024.[7][8][9] Docherty also served as Minister of State for the Armed Forces at the culmination of the Sunak ministry.[10]


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  1. ^ "Members' Names Data Platform query". UK Parliament. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  2. ^ "Leo Docherty MP". gov.uk. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Ministerial Appointments: 26 March 2024". GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Aldershot - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Hampshire Local Elections 2024: First win for Labour in Rushmoor". BBC News. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Minister for Defence People - GOV.UK".
  7. ^ "Ministerial Appointments: September 2022". GOV.UK. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Ministerial Appointments commencing: 25 October 2022". GOV.UK. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Europe) - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Ministerial Appointments: 26 March 2024". GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 March 2024.