▁Oxford , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁Chair ▁of ▁the ▁Oxford ▁University ▁Labour ▁Club . ▁ ▁He ▁married ▁Z ena ▁M im ard iere ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 ; ▁the ▁couple ▁had ▁one ▁son . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁He ▁cont ested ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁Holland ▁with ▁Boston ▁in ▁Lincoln shire ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁general ▁election , ▁but ▁the ▁sitting ▁National ▁Liberal ▁MP ▁James ▁Bl ind ell ▁was ▁re elect ed . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁general ▁election , ▁Parker ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁MP ▁for ▁Rom ford ▁in ▁Es sex , ▁which ▁he ▁represented ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁MP ▁for ▁D agen ham ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁general ▁election , ▁a ▁new ▁seat ▁car ved ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁Rom ford ▁constitu ency . ▁( H is ▁Labour ▁colle ague ▁Thomas ▁Mac ph erson ▁was ▁elected ▁in ▁Rom ford ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁but ▁lost ▁the ▁seat ▁to ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁John ▁Lock wood ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 ). ▁ ▁Parker ▁was ▁briefly ▁a ▁junior ▁minister ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁serving ▁as ▁Parliament ary ▁Under - Secret ary ▁of ▁State ▁in ▁the ▁Domin ions ▁Office , ▁with ▁James ▁Call ag han ▁as ▁his ▁Parliament ary ▁Private ▁Secretary ▁( P PS ). ▁He ▁lost ▁this ▁position ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁strong ▁views ▁he ▁held ▁on ▁South ▁Africa . ▁He ▁remained ▁a ▁back ben