[1] Skinner settled in the Waitaki District and married Julia Buckley Gray of Palmerston North in 1924.

Skinner established himself politically as a union leader in Westport whilst working as a carpenter by trade.

He was instrumental in setting up a co-operative medical insurance scheme for labourers working building the Waitaki hydroelectric station alongside Andy Davidson, Arnold Nordmeyer and Gervan & Ethel McMillan.

Starting out as a Sapper in the fourth reinforcements, Skinner rose to the rank of Major in the North African campaign.

[3] In June 1943 he was undertaking a lecturing tour of Britain for the Ministry of Information when he was recalled to New Zealand upon receiving a promotion to cabinet because of his fine record as a soldier by Prime Minister Peter Fraser.

Early on in his career as an MP, Skinner was somewhat sympathetic to the plight of John A. Lee, but did not to support him openly.

[5] Skinner made good impressions as an MP and gained a reputation for possessing "down-to-earth Kiwi common sense".

[1] Following Labour's victory in the 1957 election, Skinner became Deputy Prime Minister in Walter Nash's ministry.

[9] As Minister of Agriculture Skinner fought against unfair trading practices in the United Kingdom regarding New Zealand's dairy imports.

[1] As a result of his work in the area, it is said that Skinner was an instrumental figure in the establishment of New Zealand's pulp and paper industry.