The Lord Coaker
Labour
Member of the House of Lords
M
Lord Coaker's full title is The Lord Coaker. His name is Vernon Rodney Coaker, and he is a current member of the House of Lords.
Allowance claims · 2026
Data not yet released for 2026 — the Lords Finance Office publishes monthly CSVs ~6-8 weeks after month-end.
Ministerial activity
Records on file
23
4 meetings ·
0 hospitality ·
0 gifts ·
19 overseas trips
· 2024-01-01 → 2026-12-31
Total overseas travel cost
£220,393
Recent meetings
| Date | Met with | Purpose | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 | Nil-Return | Nil-Return | ministry-of-defence |
| 2025-12-16 | Chinook Justice Campaign | Engagement with bereaved families group | ministry-of-defence |
| 2025-11-19 | Progressive Policy Institute | Discussion on Ukraine policy | ministry-of-defence |
| 2025-10-23 | NATO Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Conference | Promote His Majesty's Government's message on Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear threats | ministry-of-defence |
Recent overseas travel
| Dates | Destination | Purpose | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 → 2026-03-16 |
Rovaniemi; Finland
RAF Flight, Scheduled flight
|
Attending Exercise Cold Response | £15,000 |
| 2025-12-01 → 2025-12-05 |
Ashgabat; Turkmenistan, Baku; Azerbaijan, Yerevan; Armenia
RAF flight
|
Advance bilateral defence cooperation and opportunities | £32,953 |
| 2025-10-06 → 2025-10-09 |
Washington DC; US
Scheduled flight
|
Engagement with US counterparts | £4,366 |
| 2025-09-28 → 2025-09-30 |
Warsaw; Poland
Scheduled flight
|
Attend the Warsaw Security Forum on behalf of His Majesty's Government | £535 |
| 2025-09-21 → 2025-09-21 |
Arnhem; The Netherlands
Scheduled flight
|
Commemorate the anniversary of Op MARKET GARDEN | £211 |
| 2025-09-15 → 2025-09-17 |
Manila; Philippines
Scheduled flight
|
Attend HIGHMAST engagements to advance UK-PH relationship and commercial collaboration | £5,867 |
| 2025-06-22 → 2025-06-27 |
Singapore; Republic of Singapore, Jakarta; Indonesia
Scheduled flight
|
Defence Diplomacy | £13,780 |
| 2025-05-19 → 2025-05-20 |
Singapore; Republic of Singapore, Jakarta; Indonesia
Scheduled flight
|
Conference Attendance | £14,152 |
| 2025-05-13 → 2025-05-17 |
Tashkent; Uzbekistan, Dushanbe; Tajikistan
Scheduled flight
|
Defence Diplomacy | £6,427 |
| 2025-02-09 → 2025-02-12 |
Bengaluru; India
Scheduled flight
|
Attending the Indian Defence Expo | £16,281 |
| 2025-01-21 → 2025-01-25 |
Abuja; Nigeria, Maiduguri; Nigeria
Scheduled flight
|
Meeting with Nigerian Defence minister and MOD Forces in country | £4,240 |
| 2024-11-30 → 2024-12-06 |
Santiago; Chile, Brasilia; Brazil, Rio; Brazil
Scheduled Flight
|
Visit Chile to co-Chair the UK Chile Ministerial Strategic Dialogue and attend Latin Americas naval trade show EXPONAVAL. Bilateral with counterparts in Brazil | £9,232 |
| 2024-11-25 → 2024-11-25 |
The Hague; The Netherlands
Scheduled Flight
|
Visit the National Address at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and bilateral discussions with key partners | £612 |
| 2024-11-20 → 2024-11-20 |
Copenhagen; Denmark
RAF Flight
|
Attend the bi-annual ministerial meeting of The Northern Group | £5,684 |
| 2024-11-07 → 2024-11-08 |
Sarajevo; Bosnia
RAF Flight
|
Build relations and show support to our key global allies | £14,759 |
| 2024-09-21 → 2024-09-21 |
Arnhem; Netherlands
Scheduled Flight
|
Ceremonial event for the 80th anniversary of Operation MARKET GARDEN and the Dutch liberation | £33,284 |
| 2024-09-04 → 2024-09-06 |
Hanoi; Vietnam
Scheduled Flight
|
Bilateral Engagements and Meetings | £12,648 |
| 2024-09-01 → 2024-09-03 |
Kuala Lupur; Malaysia
Scheduled Flight
|
Regional Engagement and Conference Attendence | £30,361 |
| 2024-07-31 → 2024-08-02 |
Warsaw; Poland
RAF Flight
|
80th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising | — |
Source: gov.uk ministerial transparency returns. Coverage:
HM Treasury and DSIT. Published quarterly under the Ministerial
Code; refreshed monthly on the 7th.
Lords votes · 2026
176 divisions
5 Content(2.8%)
140 Not-Content(79.5%)
31 didn't vote(17.6%)
2026-07-21
Not-Content
173–234
Not-Content
2026-07-13
Not-Content
41–118
Not-Content
2026-07-13
Not-Content
142–138
Content
2026-07-13
Not-Content
158–239
Not-Content
2026-06-09
Not-Content
13–66
Not-Content
2026-04-13
Not-Content
27–89
Not-Content
2026-04-13
Not-Content
30–130
Not-Content
2026-04-13
Not-Content
46–117
Not-Content
2026-04-13
Not-Content
135–154
Not-Content
2026-04-13
Not-Content
65–173
Not-Content
2026-04-13
Not-Content
178–231
Not-Content
2026-04-13
Not-Content
69–332
Not-Content
2026-03-26
Not-Content
115–197
Not-Content
2026-03-26
Not-Content
64–140
Not-Content
2026-03-25
Not-Content
95–137
Not-Content
2026-03-24
Not-Content
70–132
Not-Content
2026-03-24
Not-Content
80–166
Not-Content
2026-03-05
Not-Content
193–143
Content
2026-03-05
Not-Content
194–140
Content
2026-03-05
Not-Content
198–139
Content
2026-03-05
Not-Content
208–142
Content
2026-03-05
Not-Content
214–142
Content
2026-02-04
Not-Content
62–295
Not-Content
2026-01-12
Not-Content
201–169
Content
2026-01-05
Not-Content
131–127
Content
2026-01-05
Not-Content
194–130
Content
2026-01-05
Not-Content
168–178
Not-Content
2026-01-05
Not-Content
210–131
Content
2026-01-05
Not-Content
132–124
Content
Source: lordsvotes-api.parliament.uk. "Result" shows the headline
Content vs Not-Content tally (including tellers). The Lords doesn't
publish a "didn't vote" attendance roll like the Commons, so the
figure above conflates absence with abstention.
Recent Hansard contributions · latest 25
2026-07-20
Strait of Hormuz: Merchant Shipping
I agree. The point we continue to make to our friends and allies in the region, and to the Americans, is that, in the end, dialogue, discussion and an agreement acceptable to all are what we all need to work towards. My noble friend is right to point tha
2026-07-20
Strait of Hormuz: Merchant Shipping
We have always said that any support that we have given to the Americans has been for defensive purposes. As the noble and learned Baroness will know, we have continually called for a ceasefire, as it initially was, the maintenance of the memorandum of u
2026-07-20
Strait of Hormuz: Merchant Shipping
The noble Baroness makes an important point. We continue to speak to the Americans and discuss with them how we can see an operational and functioning ceasefire restored. The memorandum of understanding worked for a time and we saw an increase in the num
2026-07-20
Strait of Hormuz: Merchant Shipping
The reassurance that I can give to the noble Baroness and to the people she knows is this. I can talk about the Ministry of Defence. Meetings have taken place across government, but I personally have met virtually every week with either defence attachés
2026-07-20
Strait of Hormuz: Merchant Shipping
The noble Lord makes an important point. That takes us to the other side of the situation, and the so-called Bab strait, which is a narrow strait on the other side—the western side, if you like—of where we are talking about, rather than the Strait of Hor
2026-07-20
Strait of Hormuz: Merchant Shipping
The RFA provides a crucial service for the Royal Navy and our operations across the region and the world. My noble friend is right to point out the importance of that crew. We continue to discuss with them, their unions and their crews how we can support
2026-07-20
Strait of Hormuz: Merchant Shipping
That is an interesting question. I will talk about the way in which the Royal Navy is developing. It used to be that the provision of a mine-hunting ship was the way in which mine-hunting activity was conducted. In looking for an expression of power and
2026-07-20
Strait of Hormuz: Merchant Shipping
My Lords, I start by paying tribute to the US service personnel killed or injured in the region recently. All our thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends.
The Government remain committed to supporting the safe and secure flow of merch
2026-07-20
Strait of Hormuz: Merchant Shipping
I thank my noble friend for his question. His Majesty’s Government are doing all that they can to see the restoration of a functional ceasefire and to bring about a de-escalation of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. As my noble friend says, the open
2026-07-20
Strait of Hormuz: Merchant Shipping
I do not often do this, but let me read the advice that I have had about UK bases involved in recent strikes, because I need to be clear that I am getting it right. The noble Baroness said in her opening remark why I would do this, so let me read the poi
2026-07-20
Strait of Hormuz: Merchant Shipping
The noble Lord makes an interesting and important point. The commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is an important restatement of the fundamental principle, not only in the Middle East but across the world, of the freedom of n
2026-07-20
Strait of Hormuz: Merchant Shipping
I can confirm that it has been government policy for a considerable period to restore aid, as and when the conditions allow, to 0.7%. There is nothing new in that. I heard what the Prime Minister said about his commitment to defence in his speech, so we
2026-07-20
EU Security Action for Europe Programme
Of course, we remain committed to co-operating where it is in the national interest to do so, as I said. The noble Lord is right to point out that it is in all our interests for Europe to co-operate on industry and defence to generate the interoperabilit
2026-07-20
EU Security Action for Europe Programme
I agree with that. The defence and security partnership signed in May 2025 between the EU and the UK was a significant step forward. There will be a further summit, as and when it is arranged. For obvious reasons, it had to be postponed, but, as the nobl
2026-07-20
EU Security Action for Europe Programme
I say to my noble friend Lord West that there are discussions with a wide range of people. The confirmation of the GCAP within the DIP was a hugely significant event and a number of discussions are ongoing at the present time with a small number of diffe
2026-07-20
EU Security Action for Europe Programme
Well, I agree with the beginning and end of the noble Lord’s question. As he knows, we have had debate and discussion about the defence investment plan, and we will continue to do so. We have heard the Prime Minister talk about the importance of defence
2026-07-20
EU Security Action for Europe Programme
I can confirm that. Clearly, it is in all our interests that, alongside the collective agreements we seek, we also seek individual agreements, as the noble Baroness pointed out. She will already know of our agreement on frigate building with Norway, the
2026-07-20
EU Security Action for Europe Programme
I agree with the point made by the noble and gallant Lord. It was best illustrated when, soon after the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, I read in a newspaper that Ukraine had had to retreat: not because it did not have the soldiers or desire to fight
2026-07-20
EU Security Action for Europe Programme
Alongside our failure to get an agreement on the SAFE project, as the noble Lord, Lord Teveson, highlighted through his Question, there are numerous initiatives taking place and numerous things happening. My noble friend is right to point out the Farnbor
2026-07-20
EU Security Action for Europe Programme
Of course we want the growth of our own industry, and we want it to have the means to support our UK Armed Forces; that is really important. But our industry and our defence also need exports, so I do not see this as one versus the other. Growing our own
2026-07-20
EU Security Action for Europe Programme
My Lords, the Government entered SAFE negotiations in good faith, but will only enter into agreements that are in the national interest. While no SAFE agreement was reached, we remain committed to EU co-operation under “NATO first”, whether through SAFE
2026-07-16
Future Capability of the Armed Forces
That is a matter for discussion between all of us. The relationship with Ukraine remains crucial. How that is taken forward will have to be discussed.
I thank my noble friend Lady Antrobus. We are committed to the nuclear deterrent. I sometimes think
2026-07-16
Future Capability of the Armed Forces
I will feed that back to the department. All I am saying is that there is now a much more co-ordinated, effective diplomatic strategy that links the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence together to deliver the objectives that the noble Lord wants.
2026-07-16
Future Capability of the Armed Forces
My Lords, it is a great privilege to respond to this debate. I thank everyone for taking part and I will try to respond to many of their points. I start by declaring an interest: my son-in-law is currently mobilised as a reserve, so I just make your Lord
2026-07-15
National Shipbuilding Strategy
I agree with the point about the brilliance of our engineers and technicians and our ability to build ships. It would be great to see them supporting shipyards around the world and the building of ships, but I think this House wants to see the re-establi
Source: hansard.parliament.uk via hansard-api. Snippets shown
verbatim from the search API; click any debate title for the full record.
Register of Interests · 2 entries on file
Declarations under the Lords Code of Conduct. Free text — no monetary values, no hours worked. A declaration that an interest exists, not a claim about its size.
Category 1: Remunerated employment etc.
-
Minister of State, Ministry of Defence
registered 2024-08-06 · amended 2025-04-05
Category 6: Gifts, benefits and hospitality
-
Three tickets and hospitality received from Nottingham Forest FC for Nottingham Forest v Newcastle United match, 10 May 2026
registered 2026-05-18
Source: UK Parliament Members API (Lords register). Refreshed weekly.
Read the full
Lords Code of Conduct
for what each category covers and the disclosure thresholds.
Party history
1997-05-01 → present
Labour
current
Government posts
2024-07-08 → present
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
2009-06-09 → 2010-05-06
Minister of State (Department for Children, Schools and Families) (Schools and Learners)
2008-10-05 → 2009-06-09
Minister of State (Home Office) (Policing, Crime & Security)
2007-07-02 → 2008-10-05
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office) (Crime Reduction)
2006-05-05 → 2007-06-28
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
2005-05-10 → 2006-05-05
Lord Commissioner (HM Treasury) (Whip)
2003-06-13 → 2005-05-10
Assistant Whip (HM Treasury)
Opposition posts
2021-05-18 → 2024-07-05
Opposition Whip (Lords)
2021-05-18 → 2024-07-05
Shadow Spokesperson (Defence)
2021-05-18 → 2024-07-05
Shadow Spokesperson (Home Affairs)
2015-09-14 → 2016-06-26
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
2013-10-07 → 2015-09-14
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
2011-10-07 → 2013-10-07
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
2010-10-08 → 2011-10-07
Shadow Minister (Home Affairs)
2010-05-12 → 2010-10-08
Shadow Minister (Education) (Schools)
Committee memberships
1998-11-09 → 1999-02-01
Social Security
2017-10-16 → 2019-11-06
Business and Trade Committee
Contact
Parliamentary office
contactholmember@parliament.uk
020 7219 5353 · House of Lords, London, SW1A 0PW
020 7219 5353 · House of Lords, London, SW1A 0PW
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APPGs (2026) · 2 active officership(s) · 1 historic
| Group | Role(s) | Funders | Officers in group | Next deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
All-Party Parliamentary Group for Sport, Modern Slavery and Human Rights
Subject Group
|
Treasurer | UN Global Compact Network UK | 6 | 2023-07-04 |
|
Midlands Engine All-Party Parliamentary Group
Subject Group
|
Vice Chair | — | 4 | 2024-11-22 |
One row per active APPG. Funder names link out via the
/appgs Top secretariat funders panel — click any funder
there to open its full relationship graph. Officer matching is name-based against
the parliament.uk register text and may miss titled / hyphenated variants.
Written parliamentary questions · 2026
No written questions tabled in 2026.
Bills sponsored & supported · 2026
1 bills
0 as lead sponsor
1 as supporter
| Bill | Info | Role | Status | Introduced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armed Forces Bill | Supporter | Committee stage | 2026-01-15 |
Source: UK Parliament Bills API. "Lead" sponsor is the
primary mover (sortOrder = 1); "Supporter" rows are
members of either House who
backed the bill at introduction. Year is the bill's first-reading
date.
Historic bills (all-time)
2 bills
0 as lead sponsor
2 as supporter
| Bill | Info | Role | Status | Introduced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armed Forces Bill | Supported | Committee stage | 2026-01-15 | |
| Armed Forces Commissioner Act | Supported | Royal Assent | 2024-11-06 |
Same source as the year-scoped panel above, but unconstrained by
year. The "Sponsored" tag = lead sponsor; "Supported" = backed at
introduction. Sorted newest first.