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Sir Edward LEIGH

Photo member

Representative
Deputy

House of Commons
GB - SW1A OAA - London
United Kingdom

edward.leigh.mp@parliament.uk
www.edwardleigh.org.uk

Working language: English

Declarations of interests:
2021 , 2020 , 2019 , 2018

Latest news

26/01/2021 - Session Joint procedure between the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly: PACE amends its Rules of Procedure

Mandates

In the political groups

  • Member: European Conservatives Group and Democratic Alliance since 05/10/2019
  • Member: European Conservatives Group from 24/11/2017 to 04/10/2019
  • Auditor: European Conservatives Group from 05/10/2014 to 07/11/2015
  • Auditor: European Democrat Group from 21/01/2013 to 04/10/2014
  • Member: European Democrat Group from 12/11/2010 to 20/01/2013

In the Assembly

  • since 24/11/2017 Representative - United Kingdom
  • from 12/11/2010 to 07/11/2015 Substitute - United Kingdom

In the committee(s) and sub-committee(s)

  • Second Vice-Chairperson: Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs (since 29/01/2020)
  • Member: Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs (from 22/01/2018 to 28/01/2020)
  • Full Member: Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights (since 24/11/2017)
  • Full Member: Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media (from 21/01/2013 to 07/11/2015)
  • Full Member: Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons (from 23/01/2012 to 20/01/2013)
  • Member: (Former) Committee on Culture, Science and Education (from 12/11/2010 to 23/01/2012)
  • Full Member: Sub-Committee on the European Social Charter (from 24/01/2013 to 26/01/2014)
  • Member: Sub-Committee on the Cultural Heritage (from 27/01/2011 to 23/01/2012)
  • Member: Sub-Committee on Population (from 25/01/2011 to 23/01/2012)
  • Alternate of Mr Robert WALTER (Full Member): Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights (from 23/04/2015 to 07/11/2015)
  • Alternate of Sir Jeffrey DONALDSON (Full Member): Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development (from 23/01/2012 to 26/01/2014)
  • Alternate of Mr Ian LIDDELL-GRAINGER (Full Member): Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media (from 23/01/2012 to 20/01/2013)
  • Alternate of Mr Charles KENNEDY (Full Member): Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights (from 27/01/2014 to 22/04/2015)
  • Alternate of Mr James CLAPPISON (Member): (Former) Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population (from 12/11/2010 to 23/01/2012)
  • Alternate of Sir Christopher CHOPE (Full Member): Sub-Committee on the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (since 22/03/2021)
  • Alternate of Sir Christopher CHOPE (Full Member): Sub-Committee on the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (from 26/06/2018 to 24/01/2021)
  • Alternate of Mr Alex CHALK (Full Member): Sub-Committee on the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (from 25/01/2018 to 31/05/2018)
  • Alternate of Mr Charles KENNEDY (Full Member): Sub-Committee on Rule of Law (from 28/01/2014 to 10/12/2014)
  • Alternate of Mr Jim HOOD (Full Member): Sub-Committee on Co-operation with non-European countries of origin and transit (from 30/03/2012 to 20/01/2013)

Interventions

Last speeches

26/01/2021 | 18:07:34 Thank you very much, dear colleagues. By introducing some modifications of a technical nature into the rules of procedure, my report concludes the work the Assembly started three years ago. In the report prepared by our colleague Mr KOX on behalf of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, we went through the numerous stages of drafting and the consultation process, given the importance of the procedure and the number of actors involved in the preparatory stage. Through this three... 29/01/2020 | 10:27:19 On behalf of the European Conservatives Group, I would like to say that we support this report and we believe in the concept of reasonable accommodation. In reply to the Socialist spokesman, reasonable accommodation does not mean that you take away the rights of other people. Let me just give you one example in a hospital, for instance. If you wish to require or have an abortion in a hospital, under the law of most countries in the world, you are entitled to receive that service. What we... 28/01/2020 | 11:41:47 Respect for democracy and the rule of law are of course fundamental to the Council of Europe. I believe that this report actually undermines the Council's ideals. I believe it fails to protect the pluralism that makes our continent so rich in its diversity. In both tone and content it seeks to replace pluralism by enforcing conformism with social liberal ideas. Now with the limited time I want to highlight just one example from this report. Paragraph 22 notes the results of the election for... 01/10/2019 | 10:56:53 Madame President. Of course, we all agree and applaud paragraph 3 of this report, which tells us that disclosing serious failings in the public interest must not remain the preserve of those citizens who are prepared to sacrifice their personal lives and those of their relatives, as too often happened in the past. And indeed, there are still instances in Europe and in this family of nations, where whistle-blowers who expose corruption and wrong dealing in the highest places are protected, but... 26/06/2019 | 18:30:48 The British Conservatives have warm feelings towards Malta. Many British people visit Malta. Malta is a member of the Commonwealth. Malta played a crucial role in the Second World War, and we hesitate to criticise Malta in any respect, where we have many friends. So this is a difficult report for us, but we must speak out where journalists are openly murdered and nothing happens. In the early second century AD, the Roman poet, Juvenal, asks a question:"quiz custodiet ipsos custodes?" - "who...

Activities

Reports and committee opinions

13/03/2020 | Doc. 15093 | Report Modification of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure – follow-up to Resolution 2319 (2020) on the Complementary joint procedure between the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly in response to a serious violation by a member State of its statutory obligations 29/09/2015 | Doc. 13886 | Committee Opinion Freedom of religion and living together in a democratic society

Motions, Written Declarations, Questions

03/02/2020 | Doc. 15066 | Motion for a resolution Widespread recurring violence against security, fire and medical services on New Year’s Eve: how to restore trust and the rule of law 31/01/2020 | Doc. 15065 | Written declaration Call for opinion on the Venice Commission regarding the situation of dismissed public servants in Turkey 28/01/2020 | Doc. 15046 | Motion for a resolution Follow-up to the humanitarian consequences of the war in Ukraine 27/06/2019 | Doc. 14931 | Motion for a resolution Initiating Assembly contacts with the Somaliland Parliament, with a view to its possible eventual Partnership for Democracy with the Assembly 27/06/2019 | Doc. 14929 | Motion for a resolution Ensuring accountability for the downing of flight MH 17

Votes on adopted texts

29/01/2020 | Doc. 15015, vote on the draft text for resolution The protection of freedom of religion or belief in the workplace 29/01/2020 | Doc. 15015, vote on the draft text for recommendation The protection of freedom of religion or belief in the workplace 28/01/2020 | Doc. 15025, vote on the draft text for resolution The functioning of democratic institutions in Poland 01/10/2019 | Doc. 14958, vote on the draft text for resolution Improving the protection of whistle-blowers all over Europe 01/10/2019 | Doc. 14958, vote on the draft text for recommendation Improving the protection of whistle-blowers all over Europe