Walker, Peter Edward (1932– )

British Conservative politician, energy secretary 1983–87, secretary of state for Wales 1987–90. He was made a life peer in 1992.

As energy secretary from 1983, he managed the government's response to the national miners' strike 1984–85, which resulted in the capitulation of the National Union of Miners. He retired from active politics in 1990.

He was educated at Latymer Upper School, London. As a partner in a firm of insurance brokers, he rapidly established himself in a career in the City of London, ultimately becoming deputy chair of Slater, Walker Securities Ltd. He was active in the Young Conservatives during the 1950s, achieving national office, and was elected Conservative MP for Worcester in 1961.

Between 1964 and 1970 he was an opposition spokesperson in various fields and entered the cabinet as secretary of state for the environment in 1970, a post he held until 1972 when he was appointed secretary of state for trade and industry. He was again an opposition spokesperson after the February election of 1974, but was dropped from the shadow cabinet when Mrs Margaret Thatcher became Conservative Party leader in 1975.