Not to be confused with the footballer, Leon Britton.
The Right Honourable
The Lord Brittan of Spennithorne
PC QC DL
Brittan in 1996
Vice-President of the European Commission
In office 16 March 1999 – 15 September 1999
President
Manuel Marín (acting)
Preceded by
Manuel Marín
Succeeded by
Neil Kinnock
European Commission 1989–1999
European Commissioner for External Relations
In office 23 January 1995 – 15 September 1999
President
Jacques Santer
Manuel Marín (acting)
Preceded by
Frans Andriessen
Succeeded by
The Lord Patten of Barnes
European Commissioner for Trade
In office 6 January 1993 – 15 September 1999
President
Jacques Delors
Jacques Santer
Manuel Marín (acting)
Preceded by
Frans Andriessen
Succeeded by
Pascal Lamy
European Commissioner for Competition
In office 6 January 1989 – 6 January 1993
President
Jacques Delors
Preceded by
Peter Sutherland
Succeeded by
Karel Van Miert
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
In office 2 September 1985 – 24 January 1986
Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by
Norman Tebbit
Succeeded by
Paul Channon
Secretary of State for the Home Department
In office 11 June 1983 – 2 September 1985
Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by
William Whitelaw
Succeeded by
Douglas Hurd
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
In office 5 January 1981 – 11 June 1983
Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by
John Biffen
Succeeded by
Peter Rees
Minister of State for Home Affairs
In office 4 May 1979 – 5 January 1981
Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by
The Lord Boston of Faversham
Succeeded by
Patrick Mayhew
Member of Parliament for Richmond (Yorks)
In office 9 June 1983 – 31 December 1988
Preceded by
Timothy Kitson
Succeeded by
William Hague
Member of Parliament for Cleveland and Whitby
In office 28 February 1974 – 13 May 1983
Preceded by
James Tinn
Succeeded by
Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born
Leon Brittan
(1939-09-25)25 September 1939 London, England
Died
21 January 2015(2015-01-21) (aged 75) London, England
Political party
Conservative
Spouse
Diana Peterson
(m. 1980)
[1]
Children
2
Relatives
Samuel Brittan (brother)
Education
Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
Alma mater
Trinity College, Cambridge
Yale University
Profession
Barrister
Awards
Knight Bachelor (1989)
Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne, PC, QC, DL (25 September 1939 – 21 January 2015) was a British Conservative politician and barrister who served as a European Commissioner from 1989 to 1999. As a member of Parliament from 1974 to 1988, he served several ministerial roles in Margaret Thatcher's government, including Home Secretary from 1983 to 1985.
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LeonBrittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne, PC, QC, DL (25 September 1939 – 21 January 2015) was a British Conservative politician and barrister who...
(Agusta) and French companies. Thatcher and Trade and Industry Secretary LeonBrittan, while ostensibly maintaining a neutral stance, wanted to see Westland...
as Secretary of State for Trade and President of the Board of Trade. LeonBrittan succeeded John Biffen as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Norman St John-Stevas...
(soccer) player Harriet G. Brittan (1822–1897), British-born American missionary LeonBrittan (1939-2015), British baron Brittan of Spennithorne, barrister...
Parliament Geoffrey Dickens, who handed it to the then-Home Secretary, LeonBrittan, in 1984. The whereabouts of the dossier is unknown, along with other...
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 24 January 1986, after LeonBrittan resigned following the Westland affair. Channon's time as Trade and Industry...
Margaret Thatcher Humphrey Atkins Kenneth Baker Lord Belstead John Biffen LeonBrittan Peter Brooke Mark Carlisle Lord Carrington Paul Channon Kenneth Clarke...
that former Home Secretary LeonBrittan had been involved in abuse and that in March 1990 he had seen a photograph of Brittan with a young boy. He said...
migrated to Britain before World War II. He was the elder brother of LeonBrittan, who was Home Secretary under Margaret Thatcher. Malcolm Rifkind, his...
as Secretary of State for Trade and President of the Board of Trade. LeonBrittan succeeded John Biffen as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Norman St John-Stevas...
Home Office, this time as Home Secretary, following the demotion of LeonBrittan to the Department of Trade and Industry. Widely seen as a "safe pair...
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Sir Geoffrey Howe – Foreign Secretary LeonBrittan – Home Secretary Michael Jopling – Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries...
Shelley (4 June 2015). "LeonBrittan and Geoffrey Dickens' notes from 1980s released". BBC News. Retrieved 20 July 2015. "LeonBrittan was against banning...
her attend concerts. She is related to politicians Malcolm Rifkind and LeonBrittan, and is a niece of businessman Gerald Ronson. Her parents are of Ashkenazi...
Duchy of Lancaster, David Lidington, and former Home Secretary, LeonBrittan (Baron Brittan of Spennithorne), being former pupils of the School. The historian...
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Preceded by Joel Barnett Succeeded by LeonBrittan Shadow Secretary of State for Industry In office 19 November 1976 – 4...
Home Affairs Select Committee hearing in July 2014, Danczuk called for LeonBrittan, Home Secretary between 1983 and 1985, to make public what he knew about...
Richmond, North Yorkshire, where he succeeded former Home Secretary LeonBrittan. Following his election he became the then-youngest Conservative MP and...
on closing UK borders, and Margaret Thatcher overruled home secretary LeonBrittan on parole for Ian Brady and Myra Hindley. The prime minister can dismiss...
Clegg, Reg Prentice, Jo Richardson, Angela Rumbold 32 19 22 May 1980 LeonBrittan, Paul Foot, Walter Goldsmith, Shirley Williams 33 20 29 May 1980 Patricia...
Secretary LeonBrittan at first urged Thatcher to consider a European option (Heseltine later said Brittan preferred this option, although Brittan denied...
Professor Graham Henderson (2003–2015) Professor Paul Croney (2015–) LeonBrittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne (1993–2005) Tom Sawyer, Baron Sawyer of Darlington...
Secretary, in China, responsibility for handling the crisis fell to LeonBrittan, the Home Secretary. Events spread to Libya soon after the shooting,...
weeks later the resignation of Secretary of State for Trade and Industry LeonBrittan, who admitted leaking a governmental law officer's letter harshly critical...
Society. Since then, it has expanded under chairmen such as Geoffrey Howe, LeonBrittan, Norman Lamont, Michael Howard, Peter Lilley, Christopher Bland, and...
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