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Leonard, Richard

Everything we have on one MSP — voting record, motions, questions, committee work, allowances, Hansard contributions, registered interests and career history — pulled together on a single page.

Leonard, Richard
MSP profile

Leonard, Richard

Former (left at end of session) Scottish Labour Central Scotland

Politically, you're most like Lennon, Monica Lab — similarity 77.9/100.

Compare with… Speeches Motions & Q+A
Divisions voted in
1,858
last on 24 Mar 2026
Party alignment
99.7%
0.3% rebellion
Attendance
91.9%
164 "Not Voted" of 2,022 divisions present
Motions lodged
85
963 questions · 5 unanswered
Hansard contributions
4,952
1,125 chamber · 3,827 committee
Allowances claimed
£193,788
2,011 transactions
Most-discussed topics in Hansard
audit ·240 section ·143 report ·128 financial ·76 care ·66 best ·62 value ·62 policing ·62 bill ·53 community ·47 perth ·47 performance ·46
Recent motions & questions
Recent rebellions

Divisions where they voted against their party's majority position.

Motion success

Of the motions they've lodged that went to a vote, how often did the chamber agree.

Lodged
85
Carried
8
Defeated
8
Not divided
69

Of the 16 motions that went to a vote, 50.0% were carried.

Closest voting allies

MSPs who voted the same way most often across shared divisions.

Furthest apart on votes

MSPs they vote against most often.

MSPs like this one

Composite of voting agreement, sponsorship overlap, and Hansard topic affinity. Weighted 50 / 25 / 25.

Voice fingerprint

Words and phrases this MSP uses far more often than the chamber average (TF-IDF over their Hansard contributions).

public audit get invite audit item stephen boyle remind voluntary general stephen colin beattie convener sharon consideration auditor sharon dowey gfg brannen
Voting drift across sessions

Rebellion rate (vs party majority) per session.

0.1%
S5 · Lab
0.4%
S6 · Lab
Career arc

Unified timeline: party joinings, seat changes, committee appointments, ministerial roles.

  1. ☷
    Left Public Audit Committee
    08 Apr 2026
  2. ⌂
    Stood down from Central Scotland (Dissolution)
    08 Apr 2026
  3. –
    Left Scottish Labour
    08 Apr 2026
  4. ☷
    Left SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee
    30 Sep 2025
  5. ☷
    Joined SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee as Member
    05 Dec 2024
  6. ☷
    Joined Public Audit Committee as Convener
    23 Jun 2021
  7. ☷
    Left Public Audit Committee
    23 Jun 2021
  8. ☷
    Joined Public Audit Committee as Member
    17 Jun 2021
  9. ⌂
    Started representing Central Scotland
    06 May 2021
  10. +
    Joined Scottish Labour
    06 May 2021
  11. ⌂
    Stood down from Central Scotland (Dissolution)
    04 May 2021
  12. –
    Left Scottish Labour
    04 May 2021
  13. ☷
    Left Social Security Committee
    09 Jan 2018
  14. ☷
    Left Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee
    23 Nov 2017
  15. ☷
    Joined Social Security Committee as Substitute Member
    28 Jun 2016
  16. ☷
    Joined Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee as Member
    08 Jun 2016
  17. ⌂
    Started representing Central Scotland
    05 May 2016
  18. +
    Joined Scottish Labour
    05 May 2016
Who backs their motions most
Whose motions they back most
Recent contributions to the Official Report
  • Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill: Stage 3 Chamber
    24 Mar 2026
    This is my last speech to Parliament as a member, after 10 years. As a back bencher and a front bencher, as a party leader and a committee convener, I have alw…
  • Portfolio Question Time Chamber
    19 Mar 2026
    Last month, a report commissioned by Unison into Scottish Water questioned the regulatory framework. It warned of creeping privatisation, the ripping up of tra…
  • Portfolio Question Time Chamber
    19 Mar 2026
    I remind members of my voluntary register of trade union interests. To ask the Scottish Government whether it is content with the governance, accountability an…
  • Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Question Time Chamber
    19 Mar 2026
    I simply ask, while there is still time, that this appeal be included in the corporate body’s legacy report to the next session of the Parliament.
  • Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Question Time Chamber
    19 Mar 2026
    It was wonderful to see the magnificent Ian Homer Walters bust on display for the centenary of Mick McGahey’s birth, but I express my dismay to see him replace…
Committee & government roles

Committee

Allowance — vs. party average (2025)

Per-category claim total for this MSP compared to the average per-MSP total inside their party for the same year. Positive = above party average.

Category MSP Party avg Difference
Engagement costs £12,858 £9,427 +£3,431
Staff costs £2,288 £1,200 +£1,088
MSP & staff travel £1,986 £1,324 +£662
Office costs £3,670 £5,576 −£1,906
Edinburgh accommodation £1,068 £4,657 −£3,589
Registered interests

467 total · showing most recent.

  • Voluntary · 08 Jun 2021
    On 22 June 2025 I was presented with an inscribed decanter by the RMT trade union at their Annual General Meeting in Glasgow. The value of the decanter was approximately £100. [Registered 28 July 202…
  • Voluntary · 08 Jun 2021
    On 4 May 2025 I attended the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) annual awards ceremony as a guest of the PFA. The value of the hospitality was £51. [Registered 15 May 2025]
  • Voluntary · 08 Jun 2021
    On 4 May 2025 I attended the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) annual awards ceremony as a guest of the PFA. The value of the hospitality was £51. [Registered 15 May 2025]
  • Voluntary · 08 Jun 2021
    I am a friend of the Grassic Gibbon Centre. [Registered 4 October 2024]
  • Voluntary · 08 Jun 2021
    I am a friend of the Grassic Gibbon Centre. [Registered 4 October 2024]
  • Voluntary · 08 Jun 2021
    I am a friend of the Grassic Gibbon Centre. [Registered 4 October 2024]
  • Voluntary · 08 Jun 2021
    On Sunday 5 May 2024 I attended the Professional Footballers Association Scotland (PFAS) annual awards ceremony as a guest of the PFAS. The value of the hospitality was £60. [Registered 10 May 2024]
  • Voluntary · 08 Jun 2021
    On Sunday 5 May 2024 I attended the Professional Footballers Association Scotland (PFAS) annual awards ceremony as a guest of the PFAS. The value of the hospitality was £60. [Registered 10 May 2024]
Career timeline

Party

Seats