Patrick Chrestien Gordon Walker

Patrick Chrestien Gordon Walker (born April 7, 1907, Worthing, England—died December 2, 1980, London, England) was a British politician who was foreign secretary (1964–65) in Harold Wilson’s Labour government.

Gordon Walker was elected to Parliament in 1945 for Smethwick and two years later appointed undersecretary of state for Commonwealth relations. His skillful handling of negotiations with India at the time of its emergence as a republic helped to get him appointed Commonwealth secretary (1950–51). He was criticized at that time for apparently giving in to South African pressure in opposing the tribal chieftaincy of Sir Seretse Khama in Bechuanaland (now Botswana) because of Khama’s marriage to a white woman. Gordon Walker became “shadow” foreign secretary while Labour was in opposition and was dramatically defeated in the 1964 election. Despite his defeat, Wilson appointed him foreign secretary. After three successful months (October 1964–January 1965) in the post, he ran for the supposedly “safe” Labour seat at Leyton, but he was defeated. He resigned his post and was sent on a fact-finding mission to Southeast Asia. He was finally elected at Leyton with a handsome majority in 1966, serving until 1974. From 1967 to 1968 Gordon Walker was secretary of state for education and science. He was made a Companion of Honour in 1968 and was made a life peer in 1974.