Editing Gerald Howarth (section)

==Early life and career==
The son of James and Mary Howarth, he was educated at [[Bloxham School]] and the [[University of Southampton]] (BA Hons), and married Elizabeth Jane (née Squibb) in 1973; the couple have two sons and a daughter, Emily, who is married to Conservative MP [[James Cartlidge]].

Howarth joined the Conservative party in 1964.<ref>Andrew Roth parliamentary A-Z</ref> and in March 1968 was present at the [[Grosvenor Square]] [[Opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War|anti-Vietnam War demonstration]], waving a US flag in support of the war, saying "I suspect that I am unique among those of us who were there in Grosvenor Square on that horrifying and frightening occasion in so far as mine was the only banner in support of the Americans. I took the precaution of ensuring that there was a thin blue line of men from the Metropolitan police between me and the hordes, and very wise I was, too".<ref>[https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=1988-03-10a.645.0&s=%22enoch+powell%22+speaker%3A10293 Hansard] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816062155/https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=1988-03-10a.645.0&s=%22enoch+powell%22+speaker%3A10293 |date=16 August 2018 }}, 10 March 1988</ref> On 16 April 1970, Howarth demonstrated in favour of the abolition of [[exchange controls]] outside the [[Bank of England]].<ref>The Times - 17 April 1970</ref> On 14 January 1975 he wrote to ''[[The Times]]'' newspaper defending the conviction of [[Ricky Tomlinson]] and Des Warren over the Shrewsbury building strike.<ref>The Times - 14 January 1975.</ref>

A qualified private [[Aviator|pilot]], he was commissioned into the [[Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve]] as an [[acting pilot officer]] in 1968,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=44713 |date=12 November 1968 |page=12124 |supp=y }}</ref> serving until late 1969.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=45069 |date=26 March 1970 |page=3643 |supp=y }}</ref> Twenty years later, in 1988, he received the [[Britannia Airways]] Parliamentary Pilot of the Year Award. In 1971 Howarth was employed by the [[Bank of America]] International Ltd, where he remained until 1977, when he moved to the European Arab Bank. He then became the Syndication Manager for the [[Standard Chartered Bank]] for the next two years, after which he was first elected to parliament.{{cn|date=August 2021}}

Howarth was General Secretary of the [[Society for Individual Freedom]], a right-wing pressure group, from 1969 to 1971 after leaving university.<ref name="dod">[https://books.google.com/books?id=RjOIAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Society+for+Individual+Freedom%22 ''Dod's Guide to the General Election, June 2001''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328083336/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=RjOIAAAAMAAJ&dq=Howarth+was+General+Secretary+of+the+Society+for+Individual+Freedom%2C&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=%22Society+for+Individual+Freedom%22 |date=28 March 2019 }}, Vacher Dod Publishing, 2001, page 152</ref> He was also once an active member of the [[Conservative Monday Club]] while at university.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=MmdDAQAAIAAJ&q=gerald+howarth+ ''New Society''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625105452/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=MmdDAQAAIAAJ&dq=gerald+howarth+national+%22monday+club%22++executive+council.&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=gerald+howarth+ |date=25 June 2016 }}, London. Volume 11, 1968, page 592</ref> From 1973 to 1977 he was Director of the Freedom Under The Law Group.<ref name="dod" /> He served as an elected councillor on the [[London Borough of Hounslow]] from 1982 to 1983, and sat on its Environmental Planning, and Finance and General Purposes Committees.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vulcantothesky.org/faq-contact/the-trust.html |title=Trustees of Vulcan to the Sky Trust |access-date=27 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514083234/http://www.vulcantothesky.org/faq-contact/the-trust.html |archive-date=14 May 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

While [[South Africa]] was governed under the [[apartheid]] system, Howarth set up a "Hain prosecution fund"<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/mar/19/peterhain Andrew Roth's parliament profiles: Peter Hain Neath (1987- )] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404045724/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/mar/19/peterhain |date=4 April 2017 }}, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 19 March 2001</ref> to raise money to privately prosecute anti-apartheid activist [[Peter Hain]], later a Labour cabinet minister. The prosecution was sponsored by the Society for Individual Freedom, of which Howarth was the general secretary. According to [[John Mann, Baron Mann|John Mann]], Howarth and Francis Bennion set up an organisation to counter the anti-apartheid movement called "Freedom Under Law".<ref>[https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140123/debtext/140123-0003.htm  Commons Debates > Daily Hansard - Debate] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318064733/https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140123/debtext/140123-0003.htm |date=18 March 2017 }}, 23 January 2014 : Column 505</ref>{{primary inline|date=August 2021}}