Leon Brittan

Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne, QC, PC, DL (25 September 1939 – 21 January 2015) was a British politician, Conservative Member of Parliament and barrister, as well as a member of the European Commission. He served several ministerial roles in Margaret Thatcher's government, including Home Secretary.

Early life

Leon Brittan was born in London, the son of Rebecca (Lipetz) and Joseph Brittan, a doctor. His parents were of Lithuanian Jewish descent. He was educated at The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was President of the Cambridge Union Society and Chairman of the Cambridge University Conservative Association. Sir Samuel Brittan, the economics journalist, was his brother; the former Conservative MP Malcolm Rifkind and the music producer Mark Ronson were cousins.

Political career

MP and minister

After unsuccessfully contesting the constituency of Kensington North in 1966 and 1970, he was elected to parliament in the general election of February 1974 for Cleveland and Whitby, 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 was then promoted to become Chief Secretary to the Treasury, becoming the youngest member of the Cabinet. He warned cabinet colleagues that spending on social security, health and education would have to be cut "whether they like it or not".