Richard Rapier Stokes (1897–1957) was a British Labour Party politician who served briefly as Lord Privy Seal in 1951.

Stokes was educated at Downside , the Royal Military Academy and Trinity College, Cambridge. He served in the Royal Artillery during World War I, winning the Military Cross and bar and the Croix de Guerre. He became chairman and managing director of the engineering firm Ransomes and Rapier Ltd.

Stokes won the Ipswich seat in a 1938 by-election, which he kept in the 1945, 1950 and 1951 elections. He was known for his independence in parliament, including opposing strategic bombing during World War II. He was appointed Lord Privy Seal in April 1951, succeeding Ernest Bevin but served only a few months before Labour lost the 1951 general election.