John Silkin

Who was John Silkin?

John Ernest Silkin, PC was an English Labour politician and solicitor.

He was the third son of Lewis Silkin, 1st Baron Silkin, and a younger brother of Samuel Silkin, Baron Silkin of Dulwich. He was educated at Dulwich College, the University of Wales and Trinity Hall at Cambridge. Silkin served in the Royal Navy. He was commissioned as a sub-Lieutenant, R.N.V.R. in 1943, serving in East Indies Fleet, Eastern Fleet and British Pacific Fleet aboard HMS King George V and HMS Formidable, and ashore at Anderson, Ceylon. He was promoted to Lieutenant, R.N.V.R. He was demobilised in 1946 and returned to Cambridge.

Silkin was admitted as a solicitor in 1950 and worked for his father's law practice in London.

He contested the seat of St Marylebone at the General Election for the Labour Party in 1950, West Woolwich in 1951 and South Nottingham in 1959. He served as a councillor in the Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone and was elected to the House of Commons for the first time in July 1963. He served as the Labour Member of Parliament for Deptford and for Lewisham, Deptford.

He was appointed to the Privy Council in 1966. He served as a Government Chief Whip and as the deputy leader of the House of Commons. He was appointed as the Minister of Public Buildings and Works and the Minister for Planning and Local Government in the Department for the Environment. He served as the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.