Harold Walker

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Sir Harold Walker, Baron Walker of Doncaster, PC DL (1927 in Audenshaw–11 November 2003) was an English Labour politician.

Walker was educated at Manchester College of Technology and became a toolmaker. He served in the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm and was a lecturer for the National Council of Labour Colleges.

Walker was elected member of Parliament for Doncaster Central at the UK general election, 1964. He was a junior whip and then junior employment minister in the first Harold Wilson government, and continued being spokesman on employment in opposition, returning to the ministry in 1974. He was Minister of State at the Department of Employment 1976-79 and he became a Privy Counsellor in 1979.

Walker left the employment brief in 1983 whilst in opposition, and became Deputy Speaker of the British House of Commons and Chairman of Ways and Means. He did not, however, become Speaker when Bernard Weatherill retired in 1992, that honour instead going to Betty Boothroyd. He was knighted in 1992 and stepped down from being Deputy Speaker.

Walker retired in 1997 and was made a life peer as Baron Walker of Doncaster, of Audenshaw in the County of Greater Manchester. In 1998 he became a Deputy Lieutenant of South Yorkshire and Honorary Freeman of Doncaster.

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