Richard Leonard
Encyclopedia
Richard Lawrence Leonard (born 12 December 1930) is a British writer and journalist, writing as Dick Leonard, and also a former British
Labour
politician. He is a pro-European social democrat
and a disciple of the late Anthony Crosland
. He is married to Irène Heidelberger-Leonard, a scholar of postwar German literature, and is the father of Mark Leonard, an expert on foreign policy, and Miriam Leonard, a classical scholar.
Dick Leonard was educated at the Institute of Education
at London University. He was Deputy General Secretary of the Fabian Society
from 1955 to 1960, when he became a freelance journalist and broadcaster. From 1968 to 1970 he was a Senior Research Fellow (Social Science Research Council
) at Essex University.
He served as Member of Parliament
for Romford
from 1970 until the February 1974 general election
, when there were major changes made to the constituency boundary. During his time in the House he was PPS to Anthony Crosland
.
From 1974 to 1985 he was Assistant Editor of The Economist
. He served as Europe Correspondent in Brussels for The Observer
(London) from 1989 to 1997. He remained in Brussels until 2009 and wrote on Belgian politics in The Bulletin
, and on European affairs in The Guardian
(London), the Financial Times
, the Times Literary Supplement, European Voice
, and other newspapers in several countries.
Dick Leonard has been a Visiting Professor at the Free University of Brussels
and a Senior Adviser at the Centre for European Policy Studies
. He lives in London.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician. He is a pro-European social democrat
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
and a disciple of the late Anthony Crosland
Anthony Crosland
Charles Anthony Raven Crosland , otherwise Tony Crosland or C.A.R. Crosland, was a British Labour Party politician and author. He served as Member of Parliament for South Gloucestershire and later for Great Grimsby...
. He is married to Irène Heidelberger-Leonard, a scholar of postwar German literature, and is the father of Mark Leonard, an expert on foreign policy, and Miriam Leonard, a classical scholar.
Dick Leonard was educated at the Institute of Education
Institute of Education
The Institute of Education is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom specialised in postgraduate study and research in the field of education and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It is the largest education research body in the United Kingdom, with...
at London University. He was Deputy General Secretary of the Fabian Society
Fabian Society
The Fabian Society is a British socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary, means. It is best known for its initial ground-breaking work beginning late in the 19th century and continuing up to World...
from 1955 to 1960, when he became a freelance journalist and broadcaster. From 1968 to 1970 he was a Senior Research Fellow (Social Science Research Council
Social Science Research Council
The Social Science Research Council is a U.S.-based independent nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing research in the social sciences and related disciplines...
) at Essex University.
He served as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Romford
Romford (UK Parliament constituency)
Romford is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
from 1970 until the February 1974 general election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
, when there were major changes made to the constituency boundary. During his time in the House he was PPS to Anthony Crosland
Anthony Crosland
Charles Anthony Raven Crosland , otherwise Tony Crosland or C.A.R. Crosland, was a British Labour Party politician and author. He served as Member of Parliament for South Gloucestershire and later for Great Grimsby...
.
From 1974 to 1985 he was Assistant Editor of The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
. He served as Europe Correspondent in Brussels for The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
(London) from 1989 to 1997. He remained in Brussels until 2009 and wrote on Belgian politics in The Bulletin
The Bulletin (Brussels weekly)
The Bulletin is an English-language weekly magazine published in Brussels, Belgium. Founded in 1962, it is the oldest weekly magazine in Belgium and one of the oldest English-language publications in Continental Europe...
, and on European affairs in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
(London), the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, the Times Literary Supplement, European Voice
European Voice
European Voice is an English language newspaper owned by The Economist Group. The newspaper gives an account of the activities of the key European Union institutions – the European Commission, European Parliament and Council of Ministers...
, and other newspapers in several countries.
Dick Leonard has been a Visiting Professor at the Free University of Brussels
Free University of Brussels
The Free University of Brussels was a university in Brussels, Belgium. In 1969, it split into the Université Libre de Bruxelles and the Dutch-speaking Vrije Universiteit Brussel....
and a Senior Adviser at the Centre for European Policy Studies
Centre for European Policy Studies
The Centre for European Policy Studies is a think tank based in Brussels, Belgium that undertakes research "leading to solutions to the challenges facing Europe today"...
. He lives in London.
Publications include
- (ed. with Valentine Herman) The backbencher and Parliament: A reader, Macmillan, London, 1972. ISBN 0033128117
- Paying for party politics: The case for public subsidies, PEP Broadsheet No 555, 1975.
- (ed. with David Lipsey) The Socialist agenda: Crosland's legacy, Cape, London, 1981. ISBN 0224018868
- (with Richard Natkiel) World atlas of elections: Voting patterns in 39 democracies, Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1986. ISBN 0340405953
- Elections in Britain today: A guide for voters and students, Macmillan, 1996. ISBN 0333660439
- The Economist Guide to the European Community, 1992; 4th edn as The Economist Guide to the European Union, 1997; 9th edn 2005; 10th edn as Guide to the European Union: The definitive guide to all aspects of the EU, The Economist in association with Profile Books, London, 2009. ISBN 9781846681721
- (ed.) Crosland and New Labour, Macmillan in association with the Fabian Society, 1999. ISBN 0333739906
- (with Roger Mortimore) Elections in Britain: A voter's guide, Palgrave, Basingstoke, 2001. ISBN 0333918010
- (ed. with Mark Leonard) The pro-European reader, Palgrave, Basingstoke, 2001. ISBN 0333977211
- A Century of Premiers: Salisbury to Blair, Macmillan, 2005. ISBN 140393990X
- (ed.) The future of socialism by Anthony Crosland, 50th anniv. edn, Constable, London, 2006. ISBN 1845294858
- Nineteenth-century premiers: Pitt to Rosebery, Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. ISBN 0230209858