John Leslie Marshall (born 19 August 1940) is a British

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

politician.

Early career

Marshall was educated at

Harris Academy Harris Academy is a co-educational comprehensive school in the West End of Dundee, Scotland. Harris Academy was founded in 1885 and is the oldest state school in Dundee. Harris Academy is also one of the largest state run schools in Dundee in ...

in Dundee,

Glasgow Academy The Glasgow Academy is a coeducational independent day school for pupils aged 3–18 in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2016, it had the third-best Higher level exam results in Scotland. Founded in 1845, it is the oldest continuously fully independent ...

and the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

. He then became a university lecturer. He attempted to enter Parliament a number of times before he was successful. In

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarc ...

and 1966 he contested Dundee East, but was beaten by the

Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...

incumbent George Thomson, the first time as a Liberal National, and the second time in Conservative colours. He fought

Lewisham East Lewisham East is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since the by-election on 14 June 2018 by Janet Daby of the Labour Party. History Lewisham East was created for the 1918 general election. ...

in the February 1974 general election, coming second to Labour's

Roland Moyle Roland Dunstan Moyle PC (12 March 1928 – 14 July 2017) was a British Labour politician. Early life Moyle was born in March 1928. His father was Arthur Moyle who was a Labour Member of Parliament and served as Parliamentary Private Secre ...

. Marshall served as a councillor in

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

from 1968 until 1970 and then in Ealing from 1971 until 1986. He was MEP for London North from 1979 to 1989.

Parliamentary career

Marshall lost to

Michael Portillo Michael Denzil Xavier Portillo (; born 26 May 1953) is a British journalist, broadcaster and former politician. His broadcast series include railway documentaries such as '' Great British Railway Journeys'' and '' Great Continental Railway Jour ...

in the selection for the

1984 Enfield Southgate by-election The 1984 Enfield Southgate by-election was a parliamentary by-election held on 13 December 1984 for the British House of Commons constituency of Enfield Southgate. Previous MP The seat had become vacant on 12 October 1984 in tragic circums ...

, but was later selected for Hendon South in the

London Borough of Barnet The London Borough of Barnet () is a suburban London borough in North London. The borough was formed in 1965 from parts of the ceremonial counties of Middlesex and Hertfordshire. It forms part of Outer London and is the largest London borough ...

and was elected as the

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

for that seat at the 1987 general election. He served as PPS to Tony Newton, when Newton was

Leader of the House of Commons The leader of the House of Commons is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom whose main role is organising government business in the House of Commons. The leader is generally a member or attendee of the cabinet of t ...

. After the 1992 general election, the

Boundary Commission A boundary commission is a legal entity that determines borders of nations, states, constituencies. Notable boundary commissions have included: * Afghan Boundary Commission, an Anglo-Russian Boundary Commission, of 1885 and 1893, delineated the no ...

recommended that the four Barnet seats be reduced to three. Sir Sydney Chapman was retained as the candidate for the

Chipping Barnet Chipping Barnet or High Barnet is a suburban market town in north London, forming part of the London Borough of Barnet, England. It is a suburban development built around a 12th-century settlement, and is located north-northwest of Chari ...

seat, the only one not being abolished, and John Gorst, the sitting MP for Hendon North, was selected to contest the new Hendon constituency. Marshall was therefore pitched together with

Hartley Booth Vernon Edward Hartley Booth (born 17 July 1946) is a former British politician. Political career Having stood unsuccessfully for Hackney North and Stoke Newington in 1983, Booth succeeded Margaret Thatcher as the Conservative Member of Parliame ...

, the MP for Finchley, in trying to win the nomination for the new seat of

Finchley and Golders Green Finchley and Golders Green is a constituency created in 1997 represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. The current MP is Mike Freer of the Conservative Party, who has held the seat since 2010. Boundaries 1997–2010: The ...

. Both MPs put a great deal of effort into the fight, hiring minibuses to ensure all their supporters got to the selection meeting; the contest became bitter when Booth accused Marshall of "signing up the dead and the dying" as Conservative members in order to boost his chances of victory. The new Finchley seat, with similar boundaries to the old Finchley seat, was projected to be held for the Conservatives, albeit by a small majority; when

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the first female British prime ...

held the seat she normally had majorities of nearly 10,000. Despite most of the new constituency coming from Booth's old seat, Marshall won the selection contest on 1 November 1995, but went on to lose the contest for the seat to the Labour Party candidate

Rudi Vis Rudolf Jan Vis (4 April 1941 – 30 May 2010) was a Dutch-born British Labour politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Finchley and Golders Green from 1997 to 2010. Early life Vis was born in 1941 in the town of Alkmaar, in th ...

at the 1997 general election, in which the Conservatives experienced their worst electoral defeat in 91 years. Notable losses included Portillo, who Marshall had lost to in the Conservative selection for the Enfield Southgate by-election thirteen years earlier, along with several cabinet ministers.

After Parliament

In May 1998, Marshall was elected to

Barnet London Borough Council Barnet London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Barnet in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 within London. Barnet is divided into 21 wards, each electing three councillors. The cou ...

for Garden Suburb ward (based on

Hampstead Garden Suburb Hampstead Garden Suburb is an elevated suburb of London, north of Hampstead, west of Highgate and east of Golders Green. It is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations. It is an example of early twentie ...

) in his old constituency. He unsuccessfully sought to regain his Finchley and Golders Green seat at the 2001 general election, but Labour's Rudi Vis beat him by 3,716 votes. This was despite Baroness Thatcher herself coming to campaign for him in

Golders Green Golders Green is an area in the London Borough of Barnet in England. A smaller suburban linear settlement, near a farm and public grazing area green of medieval origins, dates to the early 19th century. Its bulk forms a late 19th century and ea ...

. Following the Conservative victory in local elections in 2002, he served in the Cabinet. Among other roles, Marshall served as Cabinet Member for Investment in Learning, responsible for implementing the Primary Schools rebuilding programme (known as PSCIP), and the Libraries Strategy, which modernised library provision across the Borough. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the leadership of the Conservative group in 2005. Marshall was

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

of the

in the

municipal year The municipal year is a period used by local government in the United Kingdom. The municipal year usually begins in May, following any local elections. It is not a fixed date so the number of days in any municipal year varies. History The munici ...

2008–2009. He did not stand at the 2010 elections.

References

* Times Guide to the House of Commons 1997, ed. by Tim Austin

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Marshall, John Leslie Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Living people 1940 births Councillors in the London Borough of Barnet Mayors of places in Greater London UK MPs 1987–1992 UK MPs 1992–1997 Conservative Party (UK) MEPs MEPs for England 1979–1984 MEPs for England 1984–1989 People educated at Harris Academy Alumni of the University of St Andrews People educated at Finchley Grammar School Councillors in Aberdeen People associated with Dundee