Peter Walker, Baron Walker of Worcester

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For other persons named Peter Walker, see Peter Walker (disambiguation).

Peter Edward Walker, Baron Walker of Worcester, MBE PC (born March 25, 1932) was Conservative MP for Worcester between March 1961 and April 1992, and the founder of the Tory Reform Group. He was a close ally of Edward Heath, and was dismissed by Margaret Thatcher when she became leader in February 1975 because he objected to her social and economic policies.

He rose very quickly through the ranks of the Conservative Party, and entered the Shadow Cabinet in 1965, and served as Minister of Housing and Local Government (1970), Secretary of State for the Environment (1970-72), and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1972-74). Although he did not serve under Mrs Thatcher in opposition, he accepted her offer to return to the Cabinet as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1979 later serving as Secretary of State for Energy (1983-87) and Secretary of State for Wales (1987-90). He stood down from the Cabinet shortly before Mrs Thatcher herself was ousted in 1990.

In common with the late Edward Heath, he is a Pro-European Conservative and is a Patron of the Tory Reform Group. Upon his retirement from Parliament in 1992, he was appointed a Life peer, as Baron Walker of Worcester, of Abbots Morton in the County of Hereford and Worcester.

During the 1960s he was the junior partner in Slater Walker, an asset-stripping vehicle used by Jim Slater to generate immense paper profits until 1973. An ill-timed attempt to take over Hill Samuel resulted in the loss of city confidence in Slater Walker and Jim Slater became for a time a "minus millionaire". Peter Walker's political career survived and after retirement from politics he returned to the City as Chairman of Kleinwort Benson.

He is now Chairman of Allianz Cornhill Insurance plc, Vice Chairman of Dresdner Kleinwort and a non-executive director of ITM Power plc.

Peter Walker's son, Robin Walker, has been selected as the Conservative Party candidate for the Worcester constituency.

Preceded by: George Reginald Ward	MP for Worcester 1961–1992	Succeeded by: Peter James Luff
Preceded by: —	Secretary of State for the Environment 1970—1972	Succeeded by: Geoffrey Rippon
Preceded by: John Davies	Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 1972—1974	Succeeded by: Peter Shore
Preceded by: John Silkin	Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1979—1983	Succeeded by: Michael Jopling
Preceded by: Nigel Lawson	Secretary of State for Energy 1983—1987	Succeeded by: Cecil Parkinson
Preceded by: Nicholas Edwards	Secretary of State for Wales 1987—1990	Succeeded by: David Hunt