Brian Leishman is the Labour MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, having first been elected to parliament at the 2024 general election.

In the 2024 general election, Leishman won 18,039 votes, representing 43.8% of the vote. The Scottish National Party (SNP) candidate, John Nicolson, received 11,917 votes (28.9%), while the Reform UK candidate, Richard Fairley, secured 3,804 votes (9.2%). Leishman was duly elected with a majority of 6,122.

The Alloa and Grangemouth constituency was newly created ahead of the 2024 election, created from parts of the former Ochil and South Perthshire, Falkirk, and Linlithgow and East Falkirk constituencies.

Political Career

Labour was one of four Labour MPs who had the party whip suspended in July 2025 after rebelling against the government, most notably on its flagship welfare bill. The group, which also included Neil Duncan-Jordan, Chris Hinchliff and Rachael Maskell, were described as “persistent rebels” by party sources.

In a statement at the time, Leishman said: “I am a proud Labour member, and I remain committed to the party. I wish to remain a Labour MP and deliver the positive change many voters are craving.”

“I have voted against the government on issues because I want to effectively represent and be the voice for communities across Alloa and Grangemouth. I firmly believe that it is not my duty as an MP to make people poorer, especially those that have suffered because of austerity and its dire consequences.”

The prime minister, Keir Starmer, justified the suspensions by stating he was “determined” to change the country “for the better”.

Starmer said: “We had to deal with people who repeatedly break the whip. Because everyone was elected as a Labour MP on the manifesto of change and everybody needs to deliver as a Labour government.

“This is about what we’re doing for the country and that’s why I’m so determined to press forward with the reforms and the change that we need to bring about.”

Following four months sitting as independent MPs, the group had the whip restored on 7 November 2025. This followed what were described as “constructive discussions” with the chief whip, Jonathan Reynolds.

Leishman was one of the first Labour MPs to call for Keir Starmer to resign as prime minister in February 2026.

He stated: “I have said that Keir Starmer’s position is untenable and that it is in the country’s best interest for him to step down and for the government to have a change in direction. That change is to govern with real Labour values. That is what people voted for in 2024, and what we should deliver.”

Leishman reiterated his call for Starmer to resign after the 2026 local elections and devolved elections to the Scottish Parliament and Senedd Cymru.

In February 2026, Leishman expressed criticisms about the government’s proposed overhaul of indefinite leave to remain (ILR) guidelines in a Westminster Hall debate. The session, which was triggered by two public petitions signed by over 330,000 people, focused on Home Office proposals to replace the established five-year pathway to permanent residency (also known as indefinite leave to remain or settlement) with a 10-year baseline under an “earned settlement” model.

In the debate, Leishman argued that the government must do better than “demonising immigrants and asylum seekers”.

He stated: “This country does not want or need us to be some diluted version of Reform. Whether we are talking about immigration, welfare, education, the environment, industry, or all the rest, ultimately, the question is always the same: what kind of society do we want to live in?”

Leishman delivered his maiden speech on 23 July 2024 during a debate on immigration and home affairs.

In it, he said: ““Historically, many workers in Alloa and Grangemouth have been victims of deindustrialisation and so-called market forces in a system that has valued profits over people and created a society of gross inequality…

“Allowing a gap between ceasing refining and the new greener energies being operational is as unfair as it is unpalatable. Grangemouth cannot go from being boom town to ghost town.”

He added: “We truly are richer when we encounter people from other parts of the world and learn about their culture and customs. That applies not just when we go to different places; it also benefits us here in Britain when we welcome people into our communities.”

Before entering parliament, Leishman was elected as Labour councillor on Perth and Kinross Council in May 2022. He stood down from this role in August 2024.

Political Views

Factional identity and party tradition

Socialism26: In May 2026, Leishman was a founding signatory of Socialism26, a political initiative and pressure group launched by a coalition of Labour MPs and general secretaries from several major affiliated trade unions, including Unison, Aslef, the CWU, the TSSA and the FBU. The group described itself as advocating a “programme for change” intended to facilitate a “progressive political reset” within the Labour Party. It called for a return to traditional socialist values and greater internal party democracy.

The initiative was built upon a set of policy demands, including urging the government to “recognise the genocide in Gaza”, deliver full compensation for the “Waspi” women affected by state pension age changes, protect civil liberties and embrace intervention to lower energy bills.

Socialism26 described this programme as “the bare minimum to ensure that the public can see and feel the difference a socialist government makes to their lives.”

Socialist Campaign Group: Leishman has been listed as a member of the Socialist Campaign Group (SCG) – the standard-bearer of the left wing within the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP). Founded in 1982 by followers of Tony Benn, the group has traditionally advocated policies such as widespread public ownership, wealth redistribution and strengthened trade union rights.

Momentum endorsement: Leishman was endorsed by the left-wing campaign group Momentum in the 2024 general election. Momentum was founded in 2015 to support the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn and to campaign for socialist policies within the Labour party.

Labour ‘reset’: In March 2026, Leishman was among dozens of Labour parliamentarians to co-sign a statement calling for a “reset” in the party’s internal culture and political direction. The statement, supported by an alliance of MPs from both the Mainstream (“soft-left”) and Momentum (left) wings of the party, condemned what it saw as the “insular, centralising approach” of the leadership. It called on Labour to rebuild “basic democracy, pluralism and fair process within our party.”

The intervention followed a series of by-election results in Gorton and Denton, Runcorn and Helsby and Caerphilly.

The statement said: “We stand against the insular, centralising approach of the current leadership that refuses to draw on the energy, talent and ideas of our whole movement, the continued underfunding of public services and local government, and the pandering to the talking points of the far right.”

It added: “We, the undersigned members from every section of the Labour Party – parliamentarians, councillors, internal election candidates, members and trade unionists, pledge to reset the Labour Party.”

Trade Union Group: Leishman is a member of the Trade Union Group of Labour MPs executive. This long-standing group, founded in 1926, serves as a link between the Labour party and the trade union movement, aiming to ensure that the voices of working people and their unions are represented in parliament.

SERA: Leishman has been listed as a member of the Socialist Environment and Resources Association (SERA) – a socialist society affiliated with the Labour Party. Founded in 1973, SERA is the party’s official environmental campaign group. The organisation campaigns on a wide range of issues, including renewable energy, biodiversity, air quality and the transition to a green economy. SERA describes its member MPs as “champions for the environment”.

Welfare

Welfare ‘reasoned amendment’ (June 2025): Leishman was one of the over 120 Labour MPs to sign the reasoned amendment to the government’s flagship welfare bill which aimed to reject the proposed legislation.

The amendment, in the name of senior Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier, objected to the fact that the bill had not been subject to a “formal consultation with disabled people” and that “250,000 people will be pushed into poverty” as a result of it, according to a government impact assessment.

The motion also called on the government to wait for the publication of the review into the Personal Independence Payment (Pip), helmed by minister Sir Stephen Timms, and the independent review, conducted by Sir Charlie Mayfield, into how the employment of disabled people could be boosted.

In May 2025, Leishman had signed a letter warning the government that the cuts were “impossible to support” and calling for a change in direction.

The letter, signed by 42 Labour MPs, read: “The planned cuts of more than £7bn represent the biggest attack on the welfare state since George Osborne ushered in the years of austerity and over 3 million of our poorest and most disadvantaged will be affected.

“Whilst the government may have correctly diagnosed the problem of a broken benefits system and a lack of job opportunities for those who are able to work, they have come up with the wrong medicine. Cuts don’t create jobs, they just cause more hardship.”

Welfare vote (July 2025): Leishman went on to vote against the bill at second reading. The vote came after ministers agreed to significant concessions to avoid defeat via a mass rebellion of Labour MPs on 1 July 2025.

Assisted dying

Leishman voted against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, better known as the assisted dying bill, at both second reading (November 2024) and third reading (June 2025).

Social values and conscience issues

Abortion decriminalisation (2025): Leishman voted in favour of a backbench amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that sought to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales in June 2025. The amendment, which was passed by a majority of 242 votes, removed women from the threat of prosecution for ending a pregnancy at any stage. As an issue of conscience, MPs were allowed to vote according to their personal beliefs.

Palestine

Palestinian recognition letter (July 2025): In July 2025, Leishman was among the over 254 MPs to sign a cross-party letter calling for the government to immediately recognise the state of Palestine. The letter called on the prime minister and foreign secretary to recognise Palestine at the UN Conference then taking place in New York.

Before Politics

Leishman grew up near Perth and attended St Columba’s High School.

He started a degree in history and politics at the University of Stirling before leaving to pursue a career in golf. He later obtained a degree in golf management from Abertay University.

Leishman worked as a professional golfer for 20 years.

Personal Life

Leishman is married and has one son.

Trivia

Leishman has reportedly coached golf to A-list celebrities such as John Travolta, Gerard Butler and Shakira.

He previously played in goal for the Hibernian and then the Cowdenbeath academies before being released in 1999.