Robin Walker

Education and early life

Walker was educated at St Paul's School in Barnes, London, followed by a scholarship at Balliol College, Oxford, where he read Ancient and Modern History.

After leaving University, he set up his own internet business before pursuing a career in the City of London with the financial communications company, Finsbury Group.

Career

Walker has campaigned in three elections, working for Secretary of State for Health Stephen Dorrell in 1997, for Richard Adams, the Conservative Candidate for Worcester in 2001, and as press officer for Oliver Letwin, then Shadow Chancellor, in 2005. In 2010, he defeated incumbent MP Mike Foster to win the Worcester seat, eighteen years after his father retired as a member of parliament and joined the House of Lords.

Parliamentary career

Since being elected Member of Parliament for Worcester, Walker has campaigned for jobs for local people in Worcester, more and better apprenticeships, fairer funding in education, cutting fuel duty as well as a referendum on the European Union.

Walker was elected to the Business Innovation and Skills Committee in 2012, focusing on apprenticeships, SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) policy and business rates reform to improve opportunities for young people and businesses. He was made Parliamentary Private Secretary to Elizabeth Truss, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in September 2014.

Walker was one of a small group of Conservative MPs who rebelled from the party line and voted in favour of an in/out referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union. He ultimately supported the government's plan to hold a referendum by 2017, and voted against a rebel amendment to hold the referendum in 2014

Walker has campaigned for fairer funding in education as a member of the cross party F40 campaign, which in 2014 secured an extra £350 million for lower funded areas – £5 million of which is earmarked for Worcestershire.

Walker was made the Chairman of the All Party Group for Credit Unions in October 2014. Walker has supported a number of cross party initiatives on making credit unions available in post offices as well as helping them to compete with larger lenders. He had also received the Citizens Advice Parliamentarian of the Year Award earlier in the year in recognition for his campaign for better regulation of pay day lenders

Walker campaigned for Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom, during Scotland's referendum on independence.

In July 2014, Walker called on Prime Minister David Cameron to use "every tool in the box" to de escalate the violence in Gaza, and bring both sides to the table.

Walker is campaigning for a two-hour train service from Worcester to London citing benefits to local constituents and businesses. He spoke on this topic during a parliamentary debate in the House of Commons calling for a 'faster and more frequent train service.'.

In May 2015, Walker was made PPS to Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan. He also sits on the House of Commons Select Committee for Administration.

Walker was opposed to Brexit prior to the 2016 Referendum.

In July 2016, he was appointed as Minister at the Department for Exiting the European Union, in the government led by Theresa May.

In October 2016, Walker formally debated a petition calling for the observance of a British independence day in the United Kingdom. Arguing against, he claimed that "tempting though that might be, I think the idea of an independence day would face fierce competition from the likes of St George's Day, Trafalgar Day and many more."

Personal life

Walker is a long term supporter of both Worcester RFC "The Worcester Warriors" and the Worcestershire County Cricket Club. He wore the Worcestershire CCC tie whilst delivering his maiden parliamentary speech in the House of Commons. On 9 April 2011, Walker married Charlotte Keenan, former Chief Executive of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation.