Author Archives: The Voice

Leicester Liberal Democrats have shared their tribute to former Lord Mayor and Council Leader, Roger Blackmore, who died last month.

Roger was a lifelong Liberal and for many decades the pre-eminent Liberal personality in Leicester, respected and admired by many irrespective of party affiliation.

Bernard Greaves recalls first coming across Roger in 1967 in a parliamentary by-election at Brierley Hill in the West Midlands. The Liberal Party had decided not to fight the seat, but the Young Liberals fielded their own candidate supported by hundreds of activists from around the country. They all ran around making a lot of noise to no electoral effect whatsoever.

Even then Roger stood out as an effusive, energetic, campaigner encouraging everyone to enjoy themselves as much as possible. Having moved to Leicester in 1963 when he became a student at Leicester University, joining the local party whose brief revival that year quickly faded.

Roger managed to establish himself as the main voice for Liberalism in the City as well as contesting the Gainsborough constituency in Lincolnshire. He fought the seat four times, his campaigns being the stuff of legend.

Roger was born to be a parliamentary candidate, a larger-than-life personality his campaigns were fun to be part of but deadly serious in intent. He secured over 30% of the vote three times. In 1979, with the Liberal party facing a calamity of an election after the Lib/Lab pact, Roger still retained the same share of the vote as in the 1974 elections.

Asked what his secret was he confessed that his Labour opponent, Willie Bach, had been contesting a city council seat in Leicester on the same day and Roger christened him “Billy two seats”. The name stuck and Roger retained his second place with 30% plus share of the vote.