Harold Walker, Baron Walker of Doncaster, PC, DL (12 July 1927 – 11 November 2003) was an English Labour politician. Born in Audenshaw, 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 (after 1983 Doncaster Central) at the 1964 general election. 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. When Labour lost the election that year, Walker became the opposition spokesman for employment and training. Walker left the employment brief in 1983 following that year's general election, and became Chairman of Ways and Means & Deputy Speaker to Bernard Weatherill. He did not, however, become Speaker when Weatherill retired in 1992, that honour instead going to Betty Boothroyd. He was knighted that year and returned to the backbenches until his retirement. Walker retired in 1997 and was created a life peer as Baron Walker of Doncaster, of Audenshaw in the County of Greater Manchester on 26 September 1997. In 1998 he became a Deputy Lieutenant of South Yorkshire and Honorary Freeman of Doncaster. Walker died in November 2003, aged 76. References External links 1927 births 2003 deaths Amalgamated Engineering Union-sponsored MPs Deputy Lieutenants of South Yorkshire Deputy Speakers of the British House of Commons Knights Bachelor Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Walker of Doncaster Life peers created by Elizabeth II Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Ministers in the Wilson governments, 1964–1970 People from Audenshaw UK MPs 1964–1966 UK MPs 1966–1970 UK MPs 1970–1974 UK MPs 1974 UK MPs 1974–1979 UK MPs 1979–1983 UK MPs 1983–1987 UK MPs 1987–1992 UK MPs 1992–1997