Ron Leighton

Ronald Leighton was a British Labour Party politician.

Political career

Leighton contested Middleton and Prestwich at the 1964 [United Kingdom general election|1964 general election], but was beaten by the Conservative incumbent Sir John Barlow, 2nd Baronet|John Barlow]. At the February 1974 election he fought the new Horsham and [Crawley |Horsham and Crawley] seat, but was defeated by the Conservative Peter Hordern.
He became an MP in 1979 by regaining Newham [North East |Newham North East] for his party; it had been the seat of Reg Prentice, who during the previous Parliament had defected from Labour to the Conservatives. Leighton was opposed to British membership of the European Communities, and was Director of the Common Market Safeguards Campaign from 1970 to 1972.
He retained the seat until he died in office, aged 64, in 1994; at Newham North East by-election|the subsequent by-election], the seat was held for Labour by Stephen Timms..
A road in the London [Borough of Newham] was named after Leighton. allows through traffic to bypass the busy East Ham High Street.