David Michael Gauke (/ɡɔːk/; born 8 October 1971) is a British political commentator, solicitor and former politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for South West Hertfordshire from 2005 to 2019.

In December 2013, Gauke was reported to HM Revenue and Customs after advertising an unpaid six-month "training post" at his constituency office in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.

[1] On 8 June 2019, following Gauke's "refusal to enact the commitments made in the Conservative manifesto"[7] and his supporting the leadership candidacy of Rory Stewart in favour of persisting with May's withdrawal agreement, his constituency association wrote to all members calling a special meeting for a vote of no confidence.

A Channel 4 Dispatches programme revealed that he was claiming expenses on the flat in central London despite having a property located only one hour away on public transport.

He paid nearly £40,000 of this to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) as MPs only have to pay back any profit made in the previous two years.

[13] He told the British public that negotiating a price discount with tradesmen for paying in cash for the purposes of evading tax is morally wrong.

[15] The rebel MPs voted with the Opposition to seize control of parliamentary business from the government, allowing the subsequent passage of the Benn act.

In 2024, Gauke endorsed some Conservative candidates and some Independent MPs, such as James Bagge who stood against his former Cabinet colleague Liz Truss.

In October 2024, it was confirmed that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer would appoint Gauke to lead an independent review into prison sentences.

[22] Gauke is married to Rachel (née Rank), who was a professional support lawyer specialising in corporate tax at legal research provider LexisNexis.