Leon Brittan

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The Right Honourable Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne, QC, PC (born 25 September 1939 in London) is a barrister, a British politician, and a former Conservative Member of Parliament and former member of the European Commission. His brother is Sir Samuel Brittan, who was Editor of the Financial Times and financial journalist.

Brittan was educated at the Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School and then Trinity College, Cambridge (where he was President of the Cambridge Union Society), he started his career as a lawyer. After unsuccessfully contesting the constituency of North Kensington in 1966 and 1970, he was elected to parliament in the general election of February 1974, and became an opposition spokesman in 1976. He was made a Queen's Counsel in 1978. Between 1979 and 1981 he was Minister of State at the Home Office, and then was made Chief Secretary to the Treasury, a Cabinet position. At the 1983 election he changed his seat to Richmond, Yorkshire. He was Home Secretary from 1983 to 1985, and was then moved to Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. He resigned over the Westland affair.

He was made a commissioner at the European Commission in 1989, resigning as an MP at this time, and became vice-president, but resigned with the rest of the commission in 1999 amid accusations of widespread fraud.

During his 14 years as an MP he served the constituencies of Cleveland and Whitby (1974-1983) and Richmond (1983-1989).

He was created Baron Brittan of Spennithorne in February 2000 and is an advisory director of Unilever and a consultant to the City law firm Herbert Smith.

Template:Start box {{succession box

 | title  = Member of Parliament for Cleveland and Whitby
 | years  = 1974–1983
 | before = James Tinn
 | after  = (constituency abolished)

}} {{succession box

 | title  = Member of Parliament for Richmond (Yorkshire)
 | years  = 1983–1988
 | before = Timothy Kitson
 | after  = William Hague

}} Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:End box

External links

• Profile of Sir Leon Brittan

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