E. W. Barker

Edmund William Barker DUNU SPMJ (1 December 1920 – 12 April 2001), often known as E. W. Barker or Eddie Barker, was a Singaporean statesman and lawyer best known for authoring the Proclamation of Singapore. He is widely recognised as one of the founding fathers of Singapore, having played a crucial role in the country's constitutional development and legal framework during its early years of independence.

Barker was an early member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), which has ruled Singapore continuously since independence. Over his political career, he held several senior posts in the Cabinet from 1964 to 1988. Most notably, he served as Minister of Law throughout this entire period, overseeing vital legal reforms that underpinned Singapore's rapid development. He also held the positions of Minister for National Development from 1965 to 1975, Minister of Home Affairs briefly in 1972, Minister for the Environment between 1975 and 1979 and Minister for Science and Technology from 1977 to 1981.

In addition to his ministerial roles, Barker served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Singapore between 1963 and 1964, helping to guide the legislative process during a formative period. He was also Leader of the House from 1968 to 1985, responsible for organising government business in Parliament. Throughout his entire political career, Barker represented the constituency of Tanglin.