Gordon Walker
Photographby Walter Stoneman bromide print 6 November 1946 NPG x167883
Patrick Chrestien Gordon Walker, Baron Gordon-Walker (1907-1980)
Lived at 21 South Square
Profession: Labour Politician
Other links: Academic
About his life:
- Oxford Don in the 1930s
- Worked for BBC during WWII
- Played a leading role during Clement Atlee’s government, 1945-51
- Foreign Secretary 1964-65
- Lost his parliamentary seat in 1965 in a racially charged election
Gordon Walker was brought up in India and educated at Oxford. After some years as a don, he worked with the BBC during the Second World War. He entered Parliament as MP for Smethwick in 1945 and received rapid promotion in Clement Attlee's government (1945–51), playing a leading part in negotiating independent India's continued membership of the Commonwealth. He became Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, although his record there was marred by controversy.
Gordon Walker was given the Foreign Office in Harold Wilson’s 1964 government, despite having lost his seat at the general election; he resigned in 1965. Gordon Walker's misfortunes were largely attributed to the racial issue of having led Labour's opposition to the Conservative government's Commonwealth Immigrants Bill. He won Leyton in 1966 and Wilson restored him to ministerial office, but his return to the Cabinet was short-lived. He retired from the Commons in 1974.
