At the 1959 general election, he was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bristol North East, defeating the Labour Co-operative MP William Coldrick. Hopkins was re-elected in 1964, but at the 1966 general election he was beaten by the Labour Party candidate Raymond Dobson.
In the context of British politics, Hopkins' electoral victories and defeats are documented as follows: At the 1959 general election, he secured a seat as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bristol North East, outvoting the Labour Co-operative MP William Coldrick. He retained his position in 1964 but lost to the Labour Party's Raymond Dobson in the 1966 general election.