Peter Soulsby

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Sir
Peter Soulsby
Soulsby in 2011
Mayor of Leicester
Assumed office
9 May 2011
Preceded byOffice created
Member of Parliament
for Leicester South
In office
5 May 2005 – 1 April 2011
Preceded byParmjit Singh Gill
Succeeded byJon Ashworth
Leader of Leicester City Council
In office
January 1996 – May 1999
Preceded byStuart Foster
Succeeded byRoss Willmott
In office
May 1981 – May 1994
Preceded byKen Middleton
Succeeded byStuart Foster
Personal details
Born (1948-12-27) 27 December 1948 (age 75)
Bishop Auckland, County Durham, England
Political partyLabour
Spouse
Lady (Alison) Soulsby
​
​
(d. 2011)​
Domestic partnerLesley Summerland
Children3
Residence(s)Evington and Groby
Alma materUniversity of Leicester
ProfessionTeacher, politician
WebsiteLeicester Mayor website

Sir Peter Alfred Soulsby (born 27 December 1948) is a British Labour Party politician serving as Mayor of Leicester since 2011. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Leicester South from 2005 until he resigned his seat in April 2011, in order to contest the new post of mayor.[1][2] He served as Leader of Leicester City Council from 1981 to 1994 and from 1996 to 1999.

Early life[edit]

Soulsby was born on the 27 December 1948 in Bishop Auckland and attended the Minchenden School, a grammar school in Southgate, London.[3][4] He studied at the City of Leicester College of Education Scraptoft. He gained a BEd from Leicester University in English and Drama. He worked as a teacher at Crown Hills Secondary Modern School and then as a special needs teacher.[5]

Early political career[edit]

He 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.[6] He remained a Labour councillor until he was defeated in the Spinney Hill ward in May 2003.[7]

He unsuccessfully contested the Harborough parliamentary constituency at the 1979 general election.[8] In 1984, he stood for election for the Leicester European Parliamentary constituency, narrowly losing to the Conservative incumbent Fred Tuckman by 1.6%.[9]

Parliamentary career[edit]

In 2004 he was the Labour Party's candidate in the Leicester South by-election; he had been the election agent for the previous MP, Jim Marshall, and like Marshall was not always in agreement with the party's policies.[citation needed] Despite his anti-war stance, Soulsby lost by 5.6% to Parmjit Singh Gill of the Liberal Democrats in a by-election which was dominated by the Iraq War and the newly formed left-wing party Respect, which took 12.7% of the vote.[10][11] In the 2005 general election, less than a year later, he won the seat back for Labour from Gill.[12]

On 31 October 2006, 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.[13] He also rebelled against the government on its proposals to permit the detention of terrorist suspects for 90 days without trial;[14] however, in June 2008, he supported the government on the proposal to extend the detention of terrorist suspects for 42 days.[15] (see Terrorism Act 2006.) He retained his seat in the 2010 general election with a 5% swing from the Liberal Democrats.[16]

In June 2010, he was selected as a Labour member of the Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee.[17]

On 5 March 2011, Soulsby was selected as Labour's candidate for the new post of Mayor of Leicester.[18] He resigned as MP for Leicester South in order to contest the mayoral election.[19] On 1 April 2011, Soulsby was appointed Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead, effecting his resignation from the House of Commons.[2]

Mayor of Leicester[edit]

Sir Peter Soulsby was elected Mayor of Leicester on 5 May 2011, with a majority of 37,260.[20] He had previously served as Leader of Leicester City Council from 1981 to 1994 and from 1996 to 1999.[21] In August 2011, he claimed to have delivered 99 out of 100 pledges within the first 100 days of office.[22] He said the remaining pledge, on the future of the council offices in New Walk, would be achieved by Christmas.[22] However he was criticised by opposition councillors for not explaining what services would be cut in future.[22]

He has been re-elected as Mayor of Leicester three times, in 2015,[23] 2019,[24] and 2023.[25]

Salary review[edit]

In November 2011, a salary of £100,000 was recommended by the Mayor's remuneration committee—a rise of £44,000, based on the fact that the mayor carried out the work of the city's former chief executive, who was paid £175,000.[26] The council was at the time proposing cuts of £70m in services, and the recommendations were criticised by opposing councillors and trade unionists alike. The independence of the committee, which included the vice chancellor of De Montfort University, the head of the chamber of trade and a charity sector worker, was also challenged by the only Conservative councillor "as they worked closely with Sir Peter".[27] The committee, whose report had been leaked, also recommended a reduction in the number of councillors and the abolition of the post of Lord Mayor.[28] Soulsby dismissed the committee the following day, saying it had made "fundamental costing mistakes" and would have led to "totally unacceptable extra costs".[28]

In March 2012 Soulsby's salary was set at £65,000, at the time comparable to an MP's salary.[29]

Bribery allegation and subsequent court case[edit]

On Thursday 5 May 2016, Mohammed Zameer Khan, a businessman, approached Sir Peter whilst he was outside a city school campaigning for the Labour Party candidate in that day's Police and Crime Commissioner election. Soulsby stated afterwards that Khan had tried to bribe him. 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 Soulsby allowed him to open a bowling alley at the then disused and derelict Haymarket Theatre. Soulsby returned to his council office and wrote a report on the event, which he handed to council lawyers, who informed the police.[30]

In court, Khan stated that he had patted himself down to apologise as he was wearing pyjamas after dropping his child off at school, denied that he said anything about not recording the discussion and stated that he had said that he would give ten per cent to charity and had not offered it as an incentive to Soulsby. 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". The defendant wept in the dock as the jury acquitted him. He said that Soulsby was a celebrity and "hero type" and that he was over-awed by the encounter.[30][31][32]

Christmas Day bus lane fine[edit]

On 25 December 2017, a man who pulled in to a bus stop on Christmas Day to help a homeless man was fined by the council. Lee Williamson said he stopped to give a homeless man a blanket, hat, gloves, scarf, food, and to chat to him. Williamson later received a £70 fine, despite no buses running on 25 December. Leicester City Council said the camera enforcement was an important safety measure. Soulsby confirmed that the penalty would not be enforced, saying, "It was quite clear what Lee was doing was an act of a good Samaritan on Christmas Day and even though it's important to keep this safe... there are exceptions."[33]

Breach of COVID-19 restrictions[edit]

On 14 June 2020, the Leicester Mercury and The Sun newspapers published photographs appearing to show Soulsby breaking rules on movement during a lockdown[34] by visiting his girlfriend during the COVID-19 pandemic.[35] In response, the leader of the opposition on the Leicester City Council, Nigel Porter, and local Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors called for Soulsby to apologise and resign his position.[36] He rejected calls to stand aside and apologised the following day. He was quoted by the BBC as having said "It can be certainly interpreted as being against the spirit of the lockdown, if not against the regulations."[37]

Personal life[edit]

He was knighted in 1999 New Year Honours for his services to local government.[3]

The insignia of a knight bachelor devised in 1926
Ribbon Bar of a Knight Bachelor

He was married to Alison Soulsby,[38] who died of cancer on 10 December 2011, aged 63.[39] He has three daughters and nine grandchildren from his marriage.[4] One of his daughters is Elly Cutkelvin, a councillor for Saffron ward since 2011, whom Soulsby appointed as one of his assistant mayors in 2019.[40][41]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Sir Peter Soulsby MP steps down to enter mayoral race". BBC News. 6 March 2011. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Manor of Northstead". HM Treasury. 1 April 2011. Archived from the original on 6 April 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Peter Soulsby". politics.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Leicester's mayor celebrates his commanding position". The Guardian. 24 April 2012. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  5. ^ "PAPERS OF SIR PETER SOULSBY RELATING TO CITY OF LEICESTER COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, Circa 1970s". De Montfort University. 20 April 2020. Archived from the original on 9 July 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  6. ^ "FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000" (PDF). Leicester City Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Leicester City Council Election Results 1996-2011" (PDF). Plymouth University. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Sir Peter Soulsby". Houses of Parliament. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Elections to the European Parliament 1979–99: Leicester". Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  10. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Results of Byelections in the 2001-2005 Parliament". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  11. ^ Butt, Stephen (15 October 2013). The History of Leicester in 100 People. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 9781445616988. Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Result: Leicester South". BBC News. 6 May 2005. Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Labour MPs who rebelled on Iraq". BBC News. 31 October 2006. Archived from the original on 30 June 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2006.
  14. ^ "Terrorism Bill, Clause 23 – Extension of Period of Detention to 90 days". Public Whip. 9 November 2005. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 4 November 2006.
  15. ^ "Counter-Terrorism Bill – Extension of period of detention to 42 days". The Public Whip. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  16. ^ "Leicester South". BBC News. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  17. ^ Jim Pickard (24 June 2010). "Westminster select committees: Labour & Tory membership". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 1 July 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  18. ^ Ferguson, Mark (5 March 2011). "Soulsby selected as Labour's candidate for Leicester Mayor". Archived from the original on 6 March 2011.
  19. ^ "Sir Peter Soulsby to stand down as MP following selection as Labour's Mayoral Candidate". East Midlands Labour Party. 5 March 2011. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012.
  20. ^ Elections 2011: Leicester Mayor | This is Leicestershire Archived 18 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ "Elected mayors and their value to a city – by Leicester's Sir Peter Soulsby". 18 April 2012. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  22. ^ a b c "Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby hails pledge 'success'". BBC News. 16 August 2011. Archived from the original on 11 July 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  23. ^ "Mayoral election results". Leicester City Council. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  24. ^ "Mayoral election results". Leicester City Council. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  25. ^ "Mayoral election results". Leicester City Council. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  26. ^ "Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby set for £44,000 rise". BBC News. 16 November 2011. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  27. ^ "Mayoral pay review panel's independence questioned". BBC News. 17 November 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  28. ^ a b "Leicester mayor pay rise row panel sacked". BBC News. 18 November 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  29. ^ "Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby's salary set at £65K". BBC News. 27 March 2012. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  30. ^ a b "Businessman made 'blatant attempt to bribe' mayor, court hears". 20 March 2018. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  31. ^ "All updates in trial over claim man tried to bribe mayor". 21 March 2018. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  32. ^ "Businessman cleared of trying to bribe Peter Soulsby". 21 March 2018. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  33. ^ "'Crazy' Christmas fine cancelled by mayor". BBC News. 7 February 2018. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  34. ^ "UK government legislation". BBC News. 26 March 2020. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  35. ^ "frontpageNewsLeicester NewsCoronavirus Calls for Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby to resign over alleged lockdown visits to partner's home". Leicester Mercury. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  36. ^ "Calls for Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby to resign over alleged lockdown visits to partner's home". Leicester Mercury. 14 June 2020. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  37. ^ "Leicester mayor apologises for breaking lockdown rules". BBC News. 27 December 2020. Archived from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  38. ^ "House of Commons – The Register of Members' Financial Interests – Part 2: Part 2". Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  39. ^ Leicester City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby's tribute to 'loving' wife | This is Leicestershire Archived 25 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  40. ^ Martin, Dan (24 May 2019). "Who has been promoted in Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby's latest re-shuffle?". Leicester Mercury. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  41. ^ "Councillor Elly Cutkelvin". Leicester City Council. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.

External links[edit]

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Leicester South
2005 – 2011 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by
Ken Middleton
 Leader of Leicester City Council
1981–1994 		Succeeded by
Stuart Foster
Preceded by
Stuart Foster
 Leader of Leicester City Council
1996–1999 		Succeeded by
New creation Mayor of Leicester
2011– 		Incumbent
Preceded by
{{{before}}}
 Councillor on and Member of Leicester City Council
1973–2003 		Succeeded by
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Preceded by
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 Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
2010–2011 		Succeeded by
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