John Leech (politician)
John Sampson Macfarlane Leech (born 11 April 1971) 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.
John Leech | |
|---|---|
| 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/ |
He is best known for Alan Turing's pardon, and the Turing Law which granted a posthumous pardon to more than 49,000 men convicted of gross indecency. He was also the first MP to speak out against the bedroom tax in Parliament.
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, 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.