Leon Brittan

British politician and barrister (1939–2015)

Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne PC QC DL (25 September 1939 – 21 January 2015) was a British politician and barrister. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as Home Secretary (1983–1985), a member of Parliament (MP) and subsequently of the European Commission.


The Lord Brittan of Spennithorne

Brittan in 2011
Vice-President of the European Commission
In office
16 March 1999 – 15 September 1999
PresidentManuel Marín (Acting)
Preceded byManuel Marín
Succeeded byNeil Kinnock
European Commissioner for External Relations
In office
23 January 1995 – 15 September 1999
President
Preceded byFrans Andriessen
Succeeded byThe Lord Patten of Barnes
European Commissioner for Trade
In office
6 January 1993 – 15 September 1999
President
Preceded byFrans Andriessen
Succeeded byPascal Lamy
European Commissioner for Competition
In office
6 January 1989 – 6 January 1993
PresidentJacques Delors
Preceded byPeter Sutherland
Succeeded byKarel Van Miert
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
In office
2 September 1985 – 24 January 1986
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded byNorman Tebbit
Succeeded byPaul Channon
Home Secretary
In office
11 June 1983 – 2 September 1985
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded byWilliam Whitelaw
Succeeded byDouglas Hurd
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
In office
5 January 1981 – 11 June 1983
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded byJohn Biffen
Succeeded byPeter Rees
Minister of State for the Home Office
In office
4 May 1979 – 5 January 1981
Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher
Preceded byLord Boston
Succeeded byPatrick Mayhew
Member of Parliament
for Richmond (Yorks)
In office
9 June 1983 – 31 December 1988
Preceded byTimothy Kitson
Succeeded byWilliam Hague
Member of Parliament
for Cleveland and Whitby
In office
28 February 1974 – 9 June 1983
Preceded byJames Tinn
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born(1939-09-25)25 September 1939
North London, England
Died21 January 2015(2015-01-21) (aged 75)
London, England
Political partyConservative
Spouse(s)
Diana Clemetson
(m. 1980)
EducationThe Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, Hertfordshire
Alma materTrinity College, Cambridge and Yale University (Henry Fellowship)
ProfessionBarrister

Brittan died of cancer in London, aged 75.[1]

In October 2014, a Labour MP used parliamentary privilege to refer to claims that Brittan had been linked to child abuse.[2] On 21 March 2016, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that "Operation Midland", the investigation into the alleged paedophile ring, had been closed without any charges being brought.[3]

References

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  1. Mason, Rowena (22 January 2015). "Leon Brittan, former home secretary, dies aged 75". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  2. "Westminster paedophile scandal: Tory minister Leon Brittan 'liked boys to dress in women's underwear'". 20 July 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  3. Laville, Sandra; Syal, Rajeev (21 March 2016). "Operation Midland: inquiry into alleged VIP paedophile ring collapses". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 22 March 2016.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

Other websites

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