biography
| name: |
Baker (of Dorking), Kenneth (Wilfred), Baron
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1934– )
|
| biography:
| British statesman. He studied at Oxford, and in 1960 entered local politics as a Conservative councillor in Twickenham. In 1968 he was elected an MP, representing Acton and later Mole Valley. After holding junior posts (1970–4) he became parliamentary private secretary to Edward Heath when he was Leader of the Opposition. In the Margaret Thatcher administration he rose from minister of state in the Department of Trade to become secretary of state for the environment (1985–6) and for education (1986–9), responsible for introducing a controversial education reform bill: in-service training days for teachers that came to be known as Baker days. He was later appointed chairman of the Conservative Party (1989–90) and home secretary (1990–2). He was made a Companion of Honour in 1992, and a life peer in 1997. |
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