Gerald Howarth - Parliamentary Career

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 British 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 Great Britain is at war and support Her Majesty's Armed Forces appropriately.

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 the British 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".

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.

After the 2012 reshuffle he was recommended to be knighted. Justifying British support for, and arms sales to, serial human rights violator Bahrain in November 2012, he compared the Gulf state's unrest to the Troubles.