1940- . British Conservative politician,
member of Parliament from 1970, a cabinet
minister from 1985, and education secretary
from 1990. Clarke was politically active as a
law student at Cambridge. He was elected to
Parliament for Rushcliff, Nottinghamshire, in
1970. In 1982 he became a minister of state,
in 1985 paymaster general, with special
responsibility for employment, and in 1987
chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. In 1988
he was made minister of health, and in 1990
he became education secretary. Clarke was
once secretary of the left-of-centre Bow
Group.