At the 1983 general election, he stood as the Conservative candidate in the safe Labour constituency of Houghton and Washington, where he finished third with 24% of the votes.

He was then appointed as a junior minister in the Department of National Heritage, serving until the Conservatives lost office at the 1997 general election.

He was a visiting parliamentary fellow at St Antony's College Oxford 2014–2015, Chairman of the Cumbria Local Nature Partnership 2013–2017.

Member Lake District Special Planning Board 1983–1989, Chairman of the Development Control (Planning Committee) of the Lake District National Park 1985–1989, Board Member North West Water Authority 1987–1989.

[3] Inglewood is the eldest son of Conservative Member of Parliament William Fletcher-Vane and his wife Mary née Proby.