Robert Bernard Parker is a British local politician, who was Leader of the Labour Party Group at Lincolnshire County Council between 1991 and 2013, and Leader of the Council between 1993 and 1997. Career Parker was born in Lincoln and worked as a civil servant and social worker before becoming a lecturer in politics at the University of Lincoln and the Open University (he left both positions in 2016). He joined the Lincolnshire County Council in 1989 as a councillor for the Lincoln Carholme division. In 1991, he became Leader of the Labour Party Group on the council, which was then in opposition. Two years later, Labour and the Liberal Democrats secured enough seats to govern as a coalition and Parker became Leader of the Council, serving until 1997 when the coalition lost its majority to the Conservatives. Parker remained leader of the Labour Group until he stood down in 2013; he was unanimously elected Deputy Leader upon stepping down. As of 2017, he continues to sit on the Council for the Carholme seat.<ref name="bio"/>
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