Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler

Who is Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler?

Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler was a British politician, best known for being the sole Conservative Member of Parliament to defect to the Social Democratic Party.

Brocklebank-Fowler entered Parliament as a Conservative MP at the 1970 general election, representing the constituency of King's Lynn. This seat was abolished at the February 1974 general election, when Brocklebank-Fowler was elected for the new North West Norfolk seat.

In 1981, Brocklebank-Fowler defected to the SDP in somewhat dramatic fashion, crossing the floor during a parliamentary debate on the budget to join the Social Democratic grouping. However, at the 1983 general election the Conservatives regained North West Norfolk with a majority of about 3,000. Brocklebank-Fowler contested the seat again at the 1987 general election, but lost by a much wider margin.

After the SDP's merger with the Liberal Party to form the Liberal Democrats, Brocklebank-Fowler contested the South Norfolk constituency at the 1992 general election, but once again finished second. In 1996, Brocklebank-Fowler joined the Labour Party.