The Baron Smith of Leigh 1945-2021

 Lord Smith of Leigh, a Labour life peer, died 2 August, 2021. He was 76.

Peter Richard Charles Smith was born 24 July 1945, and  was educated at Bolton School before going up to the London School of Economics where he graduated in economics.

Lord Smith of Leigh had been a member of Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council since 1978 and was Chairman of its Finance Committee from 1982 to 1991; from 1991 to 2018, he served as Leader of the Council. Created a Life Peer on 5 August 1999 as Baron Smith of Leigh, of Wigan in the County of Greater Manchester, since 2005 he has been Treasurer of the Rugby League Group and, since 2006, Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party's Departmental Committee for Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. He is currently the Chairman of Local Government Leadership, a body seeking to develop leadership skills in local government. He was Chair of The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) from 2000–present, he chaired the successor Greater Manchester Combined Authority from its creation in 2011 until the appointment of the interim Mayor in 2015.

Lord Smith of Leigh was married with one daughter, the artist Anna F C Smith. 

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