14 Facts About Richard Leese

Sir Richard Charles Leese CBE was born on 21 April 1951 and is a British politician who served as Leader of Manchester City Council from 1996 to 2021.

Richard Charles Leese was born on 21 April 1951 in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.

Richard Leese was educated at The Brunts School and received an undergraduate degree in Mathematics from the University of Warwick.

Richard Leese was elected to the Manchester City Council in 1984 and was its deputy leader from 1990 until 1996, having previously chaired the Education Committee and Finance Committee.

Richard Leese was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2006 List after overseeing the 10-year regeneration of the city after the IRA bomb of 1996.

Richard Leese was awarded a knighthood for "services to local government".

On 6 May 2017, Richard Leese was appointed Deputy Mayor for Business and Economy by Mayor of Greater Manchester, and former Health Secretary, Andy Burnham.

In October 2021, Richard Leese was announced as the new Chair-designate of the Integrated Care Board for Greater Manchester.

Richard Leese has been chair of the North West Regional Leaders Board.

In September 2021 during an interview with the Manchester Evening News, Richard Leese announced he would be stepping down as leader of Manchester City Council in December 2021 and would not be standing in the 2022 local elections.

Richard Leese stepped down as leader of the council on 1 December 2021 and resigned from the council on 4 January 2022, having spent 38 years as a councillor.

Richard Leese was in a relationship with Michal Evans from 1982 to 2000, and has been with Joanne Green since 2003.

On 14 April 2010, the BBC reported that Richard Leese had stood down temporarily from his post as leader of Manchester City Council after having been arrested on suspicion of the common assault of his 16-year-old stepdaughter.

Richard Leese was released after accepting a police caution and admitting striking his stepdaughter across the face.