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.
At the 1959 general election, Hopkins secured a seat as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bristol North East, surpassing the Labour Co-operative MP William Coldrick. He was re-elected in 1964 but lost to the Labour Party's Raymond Dobson in the 1966 general election.