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Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne, QC , PC (born 25 September 1939 in North London , UK to parents of Lithuanian Jewish extraction) is a Barrister , a British Politician , and a former Conservative Member Of Parliament and former member of the European Commission . His brother is Sir Samuel Brittan , an economics commentator at the Financial Times and financial journalist. EARLY LIFE Leon was born to parents of Lithuanian Jewish extraction, he later was educated at the Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School and then Trinity College, Cambridge (where he was President of the Cambridge Union Society ), he started his career as a lawyer. MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT After unsuccessfully contesting the constituency of North Kensington in 1966 and 1970 , he was elected to parliament in the General Election Of February 1974 for Cleveland And Whitby , and became an opposition spokesman in 1976 . He was made a Queen's Counsel in 1978 . Between 1979 and 1981 he was Minister of State at the Home Office , and then was made Chief Secretary To The Treasury , a Cabinet position. At the 1983 election he changed his seat to Richmond, Yorkshire . He was Home Secretary from 1983 to 1985 , and was then moved to Secretary Of State For Trade And Industry . He resigned over the Westland Affair . European Commission He was made a commissioner at the European Commission in 1989 , resigning as an MP at this time, and became vice-president, but resigned with the rest of the commission in 1999 amid accusations of widespread fraud. During his 14 years as an MP he served the constituencies of Cleveland and Whitby (1974-1983) and Richmond (1983-1989). Peerage He was created Baron Brittan of Spennithorne, of Spennithorne in the County of North Yorkshire in February 2000 and is an advisory director of Unilever and a consultant to the City law firm Herbert Smith . He is married to Diana and has two step-daughters. EXTERNAL LINKS
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