Herbert William Looker (2 December 1871 - 13 December 1951) was the Conservative MP for the South East Essex constituency from 1924 to 1929.
Looker was born 2 December 1871 in St Ives, Huntingdonshire. He was educated privately before joining a London firm of solicitors; he was managing clerk from 1894 to 1895. In 1895 he moved to Hong Kong to join a firm of solicitors there, becoming a partner in Deacon, Looker and Deacon.[1] Following his retirement in 1919 he returned to England to live in Great Baddow, near Chelmsford[2] and began a political career.
On 6 October 1921 he was selected to fight the Hull Central constituency by the Central Hull Conservative Council.[3] The following year he was defeated by the incumbent Labour MP Joseph Kenworthy by 15,374 votes to 12,347 in the 1922 General Election.[4]
Two years later, on 12 March 1924 Looker was unanimously selected to be the Conservative Candidate for South East Essex.[2] The general election was held later that year and this time Looker defeated the incumbent Labour MP Philip Hoffman by 19,731 votes to 13,820.[5] While an MP he was a regular contributor to parliamentary debates.[6]
On 8 May 1929 Looker was again unanimously selected to be the Conservative candidate to fight the next election. This time though it was to be a three-horse race with the addition of a Liberal candidate which the Conservatives knew made the chance of regaining the seat more difficult.[7] Their fears were realised when the Labour candidate, Jack Oldfield, won the constituency with a majority of just 626, receiving 18,756 votes. Looker received 18,130 votes, and the Liberal candidate, George Thomas Veness, 13,030 votes.[8]
Some time after his election defeat he moved to Forest Row, Sussex.[1] Here, in April 1933, he was elected to the Withyham Division of East Sussex County Council.[9] He remained there until his death on 13 December 1951.[10]