Kenneth Baker

Kenneth Wilfrid Baker, Baron Baker of Dorking, CH, PC, (born November 3, 1934), is a British politician, and former Conservative MP. Son of a civil servant, he was educated at Hampton Grammar school between 1946 and 1948 and thereafter at St Paul's School, London and Magdalen College, Oxford. He worked for Royal Dutch Shell before being elected as a Member of Parliament at a by-election in March 1968.^[1] He served as Secretary of State for the Home Department, Secretary of State for Education, and Secretary of State for the Environment. He was Chairman of the Conservative Party at the time Margaret Thatcher resigned (November 1990). He chose not to run for re-election in 1997. Generic image of Kenneth Baker Fair use for article Kenneth Baker This work is copyrighted. ... November 3 is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 58 days remaining. ... 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Conservative Party is the largest political party on the right-of-centre in the United Kingdom. ... St Pauls School is one of Britains oldest and most pre-eminent public schools, known for its academic tradition and alumni, and located in Barnes, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England. ... College name Magdalen College Named after Mary Magdalene Established 1458 Sister College Magdalene College President Professor David Clary FRS JCR President Iain Anstess Undergraduates 395 Graduates 230 Homepage Boatclub Magdalen College (pronounced ) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. ... Royal Dutch Shell plc is a major energy company, one of the top four vertically integrated private sector oil, natural gas, and gasoline companies in the world (along with BP, ExxonMobil, and Total). ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to a parliament; in the Westminster system, specifically to the lower house. ... A by-election or bye-election is a special election held to fill a political office when the incumbent has died or resigned. ... The Secretary of State for the Home Department (the Home Secretary) is the chief United Kingdom government minister responsible for law and order in England and Wales; his or her remit includes policing, the criminal justice system, the prison service, internal security, and matters of citizenship and immigration. ... The Secretary of State for Education and Skills is the chief minister of the Department for Education and Skills in the United Kingdom government. ... The Secretary of State for the Environment was a UK cabinet position. ... In the United Kingdom, the Chairman of the Conservative Party is responsible for running the party machine, overseeing Conservative Central Office. ... The Right Honourable Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925), is a British politician. ...

Baker's most noted action in his time at the Department of Education was the introduction of the controversial "National Curriculum" through the 1988 Education Act. He also introduced in-service training days for teachers, which became popularly known as "Baker days". The National Curriculum was introduced into England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as a nationwide curriculum for primary and secondary state schools following the Education Reform Act 1988. ...

In 2005 he published a book on King George IV, George IV: A Life in Caricature (Thames & Hudson). George IV King of the United Kingdom George IV (George Augustus Frederick) (12 August 1762–26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom and Hanover from 29 January 1820. ...

Notes

• 1⇧ He was elected at the Acton by-election on 28 March 1968, serving until the 1970 General Election. He was elected at a by-election in St Marylebone on 22 October 1970, serving until 1983, when he moved to the seat of Mole Valley, which he represented until 1997.