Ron Leighton

Ronald Leighton (24 January 1930—28 February 1994) was a British Labour politician.

Political career

Leighton contested Middleton and Prestwich at the 1964 General Election, but was beaten by the Conservative incumbent Sir John Barlow. At the February 1974 election he fought the new Horsham and Crawley seat, but was defeated by the Conservative Peter Hordern.

He became an MP in 1979 by regaining Newham North East, which had been the seat of Reg Prentice who had defected from Labour to the Conservatives in the previous Parliament. He was opposed to British membership of the EEC and was Director of the Common Market Safeguards Campaign from 1970-72.

Leighton retained the seat until he died in office, aged 54, in 1994; at the subsequent by-election, the seat was held for Labour by Stephen Timms.

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