James Neville MacCleary[1] is a British Liberal Democrat politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Lewes since 2024. He defeated the Conservative incumbent, Maria Caulfield, with a majority of almost 13,000. MacCleary has served as a member of East Sussex County Council since 2021, and Lewes District Council from 2007 to 2015 and since 2019.
He has worked as a director and manager for charities and campaigning organisations, including as Campaign Director for the European Movement UK.[2] He ran a business providing advice and training in communications and data protection.[3][4]
Political career
MacCleary was a member of Lewes District Council for the ward of Bridge from 2007 to 2015, and has represented the ward of Newhaven South since 2019.[3][5] He is the Liberal Democrat group leader and served as leader of the council from 20 July 2020 to 15 July 2021,[6][7] and subsequently from 18 July 2022 to 22 May 2023.[8][9] He alternated the role annually with Zoe Nicholson of the Green Party under the Co-operative Alliance.[10][11]
In the 2021 council election, MacCleary was elected to East Sussex County Council for the division of Newhaven and Bishopstone.[12][13] He was previously a member of Lewes Town Council from 2011 to 2015 and Newhaven Town Council from 2019 to 2023.[3]
MacCleary stood in the constituency of Lewes at the 2024 general election. He defeated Maria Caulfield, the incumbent Conservative MP and a government minister, with a majority of 12,624 votes. Lewes was formerly represented for the Liberal Democrats by Norman Baker from 1997 to 2015.[14][15]
