John Parker (UK politician)

For other persons named John Parker, see John Parker (disambiguation).

Herbert John Harvey Parker, normally known as John Parker (15 July 1906 - 24 November 1987) was a long-serving British Labour politician.

He was educated at Marlborough College and St John's College, Oxford, where he was Chair of Oxford University Labour Club. In 1931 he contested the seat of Holland-with-Boston. In 1935 he was elected MP for Romford in Essex, which he represented until 1945; and he subsequently sat for Dagenham (1945-1983). He was the last serving member of the House of Commons to have been elected before World War II.

He was General Secretary of the Fabian Society during World War II, and subsequently its Vice-Chairman and Chairman, and was a junior minister in the Dominions Office 1945-6. In the 48th Parliament of the United Kingdom (1979-1983) he was the Father of the House of Commons.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by William Gordon Douglas Hurchison	Member of Parliament for Romford 1935–1945	Succeeded by Thomas Macpherson
Preceded by new constituency	Member of Parliament for Dagenham 1945–1983	Succeeded by Bryan Gould
Political offices
Preceded by George Strauss	Father of the House 1979–1983	Succeeded by James Callaghan