[1] His older brother George McLeay Jr. also entered federal politics, serving as a government minister.

While stationed in France as a stretcher-bearer with the 13th Field Ambulance, he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery on the opening day of the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux in April 1918.

[1] After returning to Australia, McLeay went into business with his brother George as accountants and general agents.

He was one of 14 lower house MPs to be elected as an independent, which as a grouping won 40 percent of the primary vote, more than either of the major parties.

McLeay lost Unley at the 1941 election[1] and later acknowledged that his three-year period in the House of Assembly was a waste of time, in terms of his being able to accomplish anything as an independent.

While Sheehy made an unsuccessful bid to transfer to neighbouring Kingston, McLeay won Boothby on a large swing of 9.3 percent, turning it into a safe LCL seat in one stroke.

During his tenure there were only three dissent motions against his rulings, and he received praise from Robert Menzies, Arthur Calwell, and Gough Whitlam.

Calwell said that he would have asked McLeay to stay on in the position if Labor won the 1961 election, while Whitlam described him as "ideal for the post" and wrote that "in my experience and observation the House has not had a better Speaker".