 Jenkins won Putney, where he and Marie had moved, in the 1964 election, quickly becoming involved in the Tribune Group of MPs.He was made Shadow Arts Minister in 1973 and became the Arts Minister in 1974, being sacked in 1976 by the Prime Minister James Callaghan.He lost his seat in the 1979 General Election to David Mellor of the Conservative Party, and became Chair of CND in the same year.