John Denman Barlow, MP and 2nd Baronet Barlow was the son of Sir John Barlow, 1st Bt, and the Hon. Anna Maria Heywood Denman. Barlow was a Justice of the Peace for Cheshire; consultant to his family's firm, Thomas Barlow and Bro. of Manchester and London; Emeritus Director of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce; Chairman of various Rubber Plantation companies; and a member of the United Kingdom Falkland Islands Committee.

Barlow first ran for parliament in 1929, contesting the Northwich Division of Cheshire. He was more successful in the postwar years, and became the Liberal MP for the Eddisbury Division of Cheshire from 1945–50 and Conservative MP for the Middleton and Prestwich Division of Lancashire, 1951–66. Barlow led a CPA Mission to Malaya in 1959 and a Parliamentary Mission to the new Malaysian Parliament in 1963, which taking gift of Speaker’s chair. He chaired the Conservative Trade and Industries Committee between 1955 and 1960.

Barlow held various positions in the business world, acting as Vice-Chairman of the Cotton Board in 1940, as well as being a Director of the Union Bank of Manchester, 1932–40, of Barclays Bank Ltd (Manchester Local Board), 1940–73, and the Calico Printers Association, 1952–68.

Barlow died in 1986 and was succeeded to his title by his son, Sir John Barlow.