Richard Leonard | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2016 | |
| Leader of the Scottish Labour Party | |
| In office 18 November 2017 – 14 January 2021 | |
| Deputy | |
| UK party leader | |
| Preceded by | Kezia Dugdale |
| Succeeded by | Anas Sarwar |
| Convener of the Public Audit Committee | |
| Assumed office 23 June 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Jenny Marra |
| Member of the Scottish Parliament for Central Scotland (1 of 7 Regional MSPs) | |
| Assumed office 5 May 2016 | |
| Scottish Labour portfolios | |
| 2016–2017 | Shadow Minister for Economy |
| 2018–2021 | Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 1962 (age 62) Westow, East Riding of Yorkshire, England |
| Political party | Scottish Labour |
| Spouse | Karen Leonard |
| Children | 1 son, 1 stepdaughter |
| Education | Pocklington School |
| Alma mater | University of Stirling |
| Website | Official website |
Richard Leonard (born January 1962) is a British politician who served as Leader of the Scottish Labour Party from 2017 to 2021. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), as one of the additional members for the Central Scotland region, since 2016. He ideologically identifies as a socialist, democrat and internationalist.
Born and raised in Yorkshire, Leonard won a scholarship to be educated at Pocklington School. He moved to Scotland in the 1980s to study Politics and Economics at the University of Stirling. Following his graduation, he worked as an aide to Labour politician Alex Falconer before working as a trade unionist for the Scottish Trades Union Congress and GMB Scotland. From 2002 to 2003, he served as Chair of the Scottish Labour Party when he was active in opposing the Iraq War. After unsuccessfully contesting Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley in 2011, he was elected at the 2016 Scottish Parliament election on the Central Scotland regional list.
Leonard defeated Anas Sarwar to win the 2017 Scottish Labour leadership election, succeeding Kezia Dugdale, and he later took on the role of Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work. After replacing Jackie Baillie in a 2018 frontbench reshuffle, Baillie was elected as his new deputy leader in 2020. A supporter of Jeremy Corbyn,[1] Leonard was credited for shifting Scottish Labour leftwards but criticised for poor results in the 2019 European Parliament election and 2019 general election. He faced a motion of no confidence in his leadership put forward by members of the political right of the party[citation needed] but the motion failed to gain enough support.[2] He remained as leader until standing down in January 2021 prior to the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.