David Knox (UK politician)

Sir David Laidlaw Knox (born 30 May 1933, in Dumfriesshire) is a British Conservative Party politician and former Member of Parliament.

Knox first sought election for Birmingham Stechford at the 1964 and 1966 elections, but was beaten by the Labour Cabinet Minister Roy Jenkins on each occasion. In 1967 he was the Conservative candidate in a by-election at Nuneaton caused by the resignation of Frank Cousins, but he was defeated by Les Huckfield.

He was elected Conservative MP for Leek, Staffordshire from 1970 to 1983, and for Staffordshire Moorlands from 1983 to 1997, when he retired.

Knox, once in Parliament, joined what was to become the Macleod Group led by Nicholas Scott that was considered to be for Conservative MPs that were pro-European and progressive on social issues and he was noted as strongly supporting Britain's entry to the EEC. Knox protested against a decision to allow the Palestine Liberation Organization to open an office in London. He supported the abolition of capital punishment. In 1973, Knox was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ian Gilmour, Minister of State for Defence.