29 Facts About Peter Soulsby

Sir Peter Alfred Soulsby was born on 27 December 1948 and is a British Labour Party politician serving as Mayor of Leicester since 2011.

Peter Soulsby was the Member of Parliament for Leicester South from 2005 until he resigned his seat in April 2011, in order to contest the new post of mayor.

Peter Soulsby served as Leader of Leicester City Council from 1981 to 1994 and from 1996 to 1999.

Peter Soulsby studied at the City of Leicester College of Education Scraptoft.

Peter Soulsby gained a BEd from Leicester University in English and Drama.

Peter Soulsby worked as a teacher at Crown Hills Secondary Modern School and then as a special needs teacher.

Peter Soulsby was first elected to Leicester City Council in June 1973 and served as the Leader of the Council twice, firstly from 1981 to 1994 and secondly from 1996 to 1999.

Peter Soulsby remained a Labour councillor until he was defeated in the Spinney Hill ward in May 2003.

Peter Soulsby unsuccessfully contested the Harborough parliamentary constituency at the 1979 general election.

On 31 October 2006, Peter Soulsby was one of 12 Labour MPs to back Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party's call for an inquiry into the Iraq War.

Peter Soulsby rebelled against the government on its proposals to permit the detention of terrorist suspects for 90 days without trial; however, in June 2008, he supported the government on the proposal to extend the detention of terrorist suspects for 42 days.

On 5 March 2011, Peter Soulsby was selected as Labour's candidate for the new post of Mayor of Leicester.

On 1 April 2011, Peter Soulsby was appointed Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead, effecting his resignation from the House of Commons.

Sir Peter Soulsby was elected Mayor of Leicester on 5 May 2011, with a majority of 37,260.

Peter Soulsby had previously served as Leader of Leicester City Council from 1981 to 1994 and from 1996 to 1999.

Peter Soulsby said the remaining pledge, on the future of the council offices in New Walk, would be achieved by Christmas.

Peter Soulsby has been re-elected as Mayor of Leicester three times, in 2015,2019, and 2023.

Peter Soulsby dismissed the committee the following day, saying it had made "fundamental costing mistakes" and would have led to "totally unacceptable extra costs".

Peter Soulsby stated afterwards that Khan had tried to bribe him.

Peter Soulsby stated that the male patted himself down and said that he wasn't recording, then offered him ten per cent of any incentive money if Peter Soulsby allowed him to open a bowling alley at the then disused and derelict Haymarket Theatre.

Peter Soulsby returned to his council office and wrote a report on the event, which he handed to council lawyers, who informed the police.

Peter Soulsby stated that charity was not mentioned at any point and described the event as "the most blatant attempt to bribe me in forty years of public life".

Peter Soulsby said that Soulsby was a celebrity and "hero type" and that he was over-awed by the encounter.

On 14 June 2020, the Leicester Mercury and The Sun newspapers published photographs appearing to show Peter Soulsby breaking rules on movement during a lockdown by visiting his girlfriend during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Peter Soulsby rejected calls to stand aside and apologised the following day.

Peter Soulsby was knighted in 1999 New Year Honours for his services to local government.

Peter Soulsby was married to Alison Soulsby, who died of cancer on 10 December 2011, aged 63.

Peter Soulsby has three daughters and nine grandchildren from his marriage.

One of his daughters is Elly Cutkelvin, a councillor for Saffron ward since 2011, whom Peter Soulsby appointed as one of his assistant mayors in 2019.