Peter Soulsby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Soulsby
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Soulsby in 2011
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| Mayor of Leicester | |
| Assumed office 9 May 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Office created |
| Member of Parliament for Leicester South |
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| In office 5 May 2005 – 1 April 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Parmjit Singh Gill |
| Succeeded by | Jonathan Ashworth |
| Leader of Leicester City Council | |
| In office January 1996 – May 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Stuart Foster |
| Succeeded by | Ross Willmott |
| In office May 1981 – May 1994 |
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| Preceded by | Ken Middleton |
| Succeeded by | Stuart Foster |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 December 1948 Bishop Auckland, County Durham, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse |
Lady (Alison) Soulsby
(d. 2011) |
| Domestic partner | Lesley Summerland |
| Children | 3 |
| Residences | Evington and Groby |
| Alma mater | University of Leicester |
| Profession | Teacher, politician |
| Website | Leicester Mayor website |
Sir Peter Alfred Soulsby (born 27 December 1948) is a British politician from the Labour Party. He has been the Mayor of Leicester since 2011.
Before becoming mayor, he was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Leicester South. He served as an MP from 2005 until 2011. He left Parliament to run for the new role of mayor. Sir Peter also led the Leicester City Council twice, from 1981 to 1994 and again from 1996 to 1999.
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Early Life and Education
Peter Soulsby was born on 27 December 1948. His birthplace was Bishop Auckland in England. He went to Minchenden School in London.
He later studied at the City of Leicester College of Education. He earned a degree in English and Drama from Leicester University. After his studies, he worked as a teacher. He taught at Crown Hills Secondary Modern School. He also worked as a special needs teacher.
Starting in Politics
Peter Soulsby first became a member of the Leicester City Council in June 1973. He became the leader of the council two times. His first time as leader was from 1981 to 1994. He led the council again from 1996 to 1999. He continued as a Labour councillor until 2003.
He tried to become a Member of Parliament in 1979. He ran for the Harborough area but did not win. In 1984, he ran for the European Parliament. He lost by a small number of votes.
Parliamentary Career
In 2004, Peter Soulsby ran for MP in a special election for Leicester South. He lost this election to Parmjit Singh Gill. The election was affected by public feelings about the Iraq War.
Less than a year later, in the 2005 general election, he ran again. This time, he won the Leicester South seat back for the Labour Party.
As an MP, he sometimes disagreed with his party's decisions. For example, in 2006, he supported an inquiry into the Iraq War. He also voted against a proposal to hold terror suspects for 90 days without trial.
He kept his seat in the 2010 general election. In June 2010, he joined a special committee. This committee looked at political and constitutional reforms.
In March 2011, Peter Soulsby was chosen as Labour's candidate for the new role of Mayor of Leicester. He decided to leave his job as an MP to run for mayor. He officially resigned from the House of Commons on 1 April 2011.
Mayor of Leicester
Sir Peter Soulsby was elected as the first Mayor of Leicester on 5 May 2011. He won with a large number of votes. He had already served as the leader of the Leicester City Council for many years.
In August 2011, he said he had completed almost all of his promises. He claimed to have delivered 99 out of 100 pledges in his first 100 days. He has been re-elected as Mayor of Leicester three more times. These re-elections happened in 2015, 2019, and 2023.
Mayor's Salary Review
In November 2011, a group suggested a salary of £100,000 for the mayor. This was a big increase. The group said the mayor was doing work that a highly paid city manager used to do.
However, the council was planning to cut £70 million from city services. Other councillors and workers' unions criticized the suggested pay raise. Sir Peter then dismissed the group. He said their suggestions would cost too much money.
In March 2012, Sir Peter's salary was set at £65,000. This amount was similar to what a Member of Parliament earned at that time.
Christmas Day Bus Lane Incident
On Christmas Day in 2017, a man stopped his car in a bus lane. He wanted to help a homeless person. He gave the person a blanket, warm clothes, and food.
The council later sent him a £70 fine for stopping in the bus lane. However, no buses were running on Christmas Day. Sir Peter Soulsby heard about the situation. He said the fine would not be enforced. He explained that the man was acting like a Good Samaritan on Christmas Day.
Personal Life
Peter Soulsby was made a Knight Bachelor in 1999. This honor was for his work in local government.
He was married to Alison Soulsby. She passed away in December 2011 at the age of 63. Sir Peter has three daughters and nine grandchildren. One of his daughters, Elly Cutkelvin, is also a councillor. In 2019, Sir Peter appointed her as one of his assistant mayors.
Images for kids
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The special badge of a Knight Bachelor, designed in 1926.
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The ribbon bar worn by a Knight Bachelor.
