Gerald Howarth
| Gerald Howarth MP | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Minister for International Security Strategy | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 12 May 2010 |
|
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Member of Parliament for Aldershot |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1 May 1997 |
|
| Preceded by | Julian Critchley |
| Majority | 5,586 (12.3%) |
| Member of Parliament for Cannock and Burntwood |
|
| In office 9 June 1983 – 9 April 1992 |
|
| Preceded by | Gwilym Roberts |
| Succeeded by | Tony Wright |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 September 1947 |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Jane Squibb |
| Alma mater | University of Southampton |
| Website | www.geraldhowarth.org |
James Gerald Douglas Howarth known as Gerald Howarth (born 12 September 1947) is a British Conservative Party politician. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Aldershot since 1997, having been the MP for Cannock and Burntwood from 1983 to 1992.
He is currently Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence as Minister for International Security Strategy.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Early life
The son of James and Mary Howarth, he was educated at Bloxham School and the University of Southampton (BA Hons), and married in 1973, Elizabeth Jane, née Squibb. They have two sons and a daughter. A qualified private pilot, he was commissioned into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1968, and 20 years later, in 1988 received the Britannia Airways Parliamentary Pilot of the Year Award. In 1971 was employed by the Bank of America International Ltd., where he remained until 1977, when he moved to the European Arab Bank until 1981 (Manager 1979-81). He then became the Syndication Manager for the Standard Chartered Bank for the next two years, after which he was first elected to parliament.
[edit] Politics
Howarth was General Secretary of the pressure group, the Society for Individual Freedom 1969-1971, and was once an active member of the Conservative Monday Club. He and Graham Webster-Gardiner (the UKIP Candidate for Epsom and Ewell in the 2001 General Election), representing the Club's Universities Group, spoke at the Club's all-day Conference on Subversion, at Church House, Westminster, in January 1970. On 16 April 1970 he took part in a protest in London demanding the abolition of exchange controls, which Sir Geoffrey Howe eventually abolished in December 1980.
In 1971 and 1972 he is recorded as a member of the National Monday Club's Executive Council. From 1973-77 he was Director of the Freedom Under The Law Group. He served as an elected councillor on the London Borough of Hounslow 1982-3, and sat on their Environmental Planning, and Finance and General Purposes Committees.
[edit] Parliamentary career
Howarth was first elected for the Cannock and Burntwood constituency in the Conservative landslide victory at the 1983 general election, but lost his seat nine years later, at the 1992 general election. He left Parliament for five years, but was re-elected at the 1997 general election as MP for Aldershot.
Howarth was Parliamentary Private Secretary to Michael Spicer when Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Energy 1987-90, and as Minister of State, Department of the Environment in 1990.
He is a supporter of the UK defence industry, when, speaking in support of the industry, he told delegates at a meeting sponsored by the Defense Industries Council that "People who decry the defence industry should hang their heads in shame because it is a noble industry". He also told the meeting that, should his party attain government, he could accept the title of "Minister for War" reflecting his belief that wider Government should recognise that the UK is at war and support UK Armed Forces appropriately.[2]
Allegations of far-right sympathies were made against Howarth in a controversial January 1984 Panorama programme, "Maggie's Militant Tendency". Howarth and his close friend Neil Hamilton both successfully sued the BBC and were each awarded £20,000 damages for libel in October 1986, with their court costs paid. Further problems arose in 2001 when he was one of several famous faces duped into appearing on the Channel Four Brass Eye TV programme; this was the notorious 'Paedogeddon' spoof episode, where he agreed to read out a fairly ridiculous statement.
He is known for his views on limited immigration, free market economics, and support for UK Armed Forces; he is a member of the Thatcherite 'No Turning Back' group and the Freedom Association.
He was one of those who questioned the conclusion of the Macpherson report (into Stephen Lawrence's death) that the Metropolitan police are institutionally racist as "a grotesque over-reaction."
After British Airways in November 2006 indicated that a member of its check-in staff would not be permitted to display a cross over her uniform, Howarth announced his decision to boycott the flag carrier and claimed that "the idea that somehow it has become unacceptable to demonstrate that (Christian) faith is bizarre...the cross is a modest symbol. It is not an aggressive or provocative gesture... it is a quiet demonstration of faith".[3]
In a programme about the fall of Margaret Thatcher in 2008, Howarth told Michael Portillo that he was "gutted" when Thatcher resigned in November 1990, and that he "is, was, and always will be, devoted to her".
Following the expenses scandal of 2009, Howarth claimed that he had "acted within the rules" set out by the House of Commons, but nonetheless repaid expenses identified by Sir Thomas Legg as being unreasonable..[4]
[edit] Notes
- ^ New Defence Ministers - responsibilities confirmed
- ^ "Crawl to arms". Private Eye (Pressdram Ltd.): p. 9. Issue 1247, 16 Oct 2009.
- ^ "Second minister to boycott BA in growing row over Christian worker". Evening Standard. 21 November 2006. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23375379-details/Second%20minister%20to%20boycott%20BA%20in%20growing%20row%20over%20Christian%20worker/article.do. Retrieved 7 August 2009.
- ^ Castle, Pete (15 May 2009). "MP meets expenses row with defiance". Get Hampshire. http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/news/s/2050905_mp_meets_expenses_row_with_defiance. Retrieved 7 August 2009.
[edit] References
- Copping, Robert, The Story of the Monday Club - The First Decade, Current Affairs Information Service, London, April 1972, (P/B).
- Dod's Parliamentary Companion 1991, 172nd edition, London. ISBN 0-905702-17-4
- Ellis, Dr.Frank, The Macpherson Report: 'Anti-racist' Hysteria and the Sovietization of the United Kingdom, published by Right Now Press Ltd., London, 2001,(P/B), ISBN 0-9540534-0-0
[edit] External links
- Gerald Howarth MP official constituency website
- Gerald Howarth MP Conservative Party profile
- Aldershot and North Hampshire Conservatives
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
- Electoral history and profile at The Guardian
- Voting record at PublicWhip.org
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou.com
- Profile at Westminster Parliamentary Record
- Profile at BBC News Democracy Live
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| New constituency | Member of Parliament for Cannock and Burntwood 1983–1992 |
Succeeded by Tony Wright |
| Preceded by Julian Critchley |
Member of Parliament for Aldershot 1997–present |
Incumbent |
- Living people
- 1947 births
- Old Bloxhamists
- Alumni of the University of Southampton
- Royal Air Force officers
- Councillors in Hounslow
- Conservative Party (UK) MPs
- Members of the United Kingdom Parliament for English constituencies
- UK MPs 1983–1987
- UK MPs 1987–1992
- UK MPs 1997–2001
- UK MPs 2001–2005
- UK MPs 2005–2010
- UK MPs 2010–
