Editing Gerald Howarth (section)

==Parliamentary career==
===First spell (1983–92)===
Howarth was first elected for the [[Cannock and Burntwood (UK Parliament constituency)|Cannock and Burntwood]] constituency in the Conservative landslide victory at the [[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983 general election]]. Allegations of far-right sympathies were made against Howarth in a controversial January 1984 ''[[Panorama (British TV programme)|Panorama]]'' programme, "[[Maggie's Militant Tendency]]". Howarth and his close friend [[Neil Hamilton (politician)|Neil Hamilton]] both successfully sued the BBC and were each awarded £20,000 damages for libel in October 1986, with their court costs paid.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

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. In November that year he voted for first of all Margaret Thatcher in the leadership election of the Conservative Party. When she resigned he voted for [[John Major]] to succeed her.

He lost his seat at the [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992 general election]]. He was absent from parliament for five years, but was re-elected at the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]] as MP for [[Aldershot (constituency)|Aldershot]].
[[File:Christopher Gill & Gerald Howarth MP.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Howarth and [[Christopher Gill]] (Conservative MP for Ludlow 1987–2001) demonstrating against the [[European Union]] in 2009.]]

===Second spell (1997–2017)===
He is a supporter of the British [[defence industry]], when, speaking in support of the industry, he told delegates at a meeting in 2009 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 the armed forces appropriately.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Crawl to arms |newspaper=[[Private Eye]] |location= London |issue=1247|date=16 October 2009 |page=9}}</ref>

In 2001, Howarth was one of several famous faces duped into appearing on the Channel Four ''[[Brass Eye]]'' television programme; this was the "Paedogeddon" spoof episode, where he agreed to read out anti-paedophile warnings.<ref>Hugh Muir (7 November 2007).[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/nov/07/2 "Diary"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513113334/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/nov/07/2 |date=13 May 2016 }}. ''The Guardian''. London.</ref>

In a programme in 2008 about the fall of [[Margaret Thatcher]], Howarth told [[Michael Portillo]] that he was "gutted" when Thatcher resigned in November 1990.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

At the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]] Howarth was joined in the Commons by his son-in-law, [[James Cartlidge]], the Conservative MP for [[South Suffolk (UK Parliament constituency)|South Suffolk]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2015-06-01b.344.0 |title=House of Commons debates |publisher=TheyWorkForYou |date=1 June 2015 |access-date=22 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922064246/https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2015-06-01b.344.0 |archive-date=22 September 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> On 20 April 2017, Howarth announced he would not be seeking re-election in the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]] and now resides in Suffolk.<ref name="Lloyd2017"/>

=== Race relations ===
In 1999, Howarth questioned the conclusion of the [[Macpherson report]] (into Stephen Lawrence's death) that the Metropolitan police are "institutionally racist" as "a grotesque over-reaction."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/323879.stm|title=Straw tells of Lawrence report impact|date=20 April 1999|work=BBC News|access-date=26 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030305093035/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/323879.stm|archive-date=5 March 2003|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2005, he said about Muslims: "If they don't like our way of life, there is a simple remedy: go to another country, get out. There are plenty of other countries whose way of life would appear to be more conducive to what they aspire to. They would be happy and we would be happy".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/muslims-who-hate-us-can-get-out-says-tory-1-727059 |title=Muslims who hate us can get out, says Tory |work=The Scotsman |date=3 August 2005 |access-date=22 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922135547/https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/muslims-who-hate-us-can-get-out-says-tory-1-727059 |archive-date=22 September 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

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 said 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".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23375379-details/Second%20minister%20to%20boycott%20BA%20in%20growing%20row%20over%20Christian%20worker/article.do|title=Second minister to boycott BA in growing row over Christian worker|date=21 November 2006|work=[[London Evening Standard|Evening Standard]]|access-date=7 August 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505074811/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23375379-details/Second%20minister%20to%20boycott%20BA%20in%20growing%20row%20over%20Christian%20worker/article.do|archive-date=5 May 2008}}</ref>

In August 2014, he warned about the dangers of immigration to Britain as he perceives them in a leaked e-mail to a constituent and declared that [[Enoch Powell]] was right in his anti-immigration [[Rivers of Blood speech|"rivers of blood" speech]] in April 1968: "Clearly, the arrival of so many people of non-Christian faith has presented a challenge, as so many of us, including the late Enoch Powell, warned decades ago".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-mp-gerald-howarth-says-enoch-powell-was-right-in-notorious-rivers-of-blood-speech-9693849.html|title=Tory MP Gerald Howarth says Enoch Powell 'was right' in notorious Rivers of Blood speech|date=27 August 2014|work=The Independent|location=London|access-date=27 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140828051935/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-mp-gerald-howarth-says-enoch-powell-was-right-in-notorious-rivers-of-blood-speech-9693849.html|archive-date=28 August 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Homosexuals ===
In 2000, he described the lifting of the ban on homosexuals in the military as "appalling" and went on to state that the "decision will be greeted with dismay, particularly by "ordinary" soldiers in Her Majesty's forces, many of whom joined the services precisely because they wished to turn their backs on some of the values of modern society".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/599810.stm |title=Services gay ban lifted |work=BBC News |date=12 January 2000 |access-date=22 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040702185243/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/599810.stm |archive-date=2 July 2004 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2005 he criticised the [[gay]] Labour Minister [[Peter Mandelson]] because his life-partner, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, a Brazilian translator who had been living in the UK for seven years, had received British citizenship. Howarth described Avila da Silva as Mandelson's 'consort', who was less deserving of citizenship than others.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/mandelson-partner-in-citizenship-row-1-1094452|title=Mandelson partner in citizenship row|website=www.scotsman.com|language=en|access-date=21 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222061142/http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/mandelson-partner-in-citizenship-row-1-1094452|archive-date=22 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 20 May 2013, whilst debating the [[Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill]], Howarth warned of "the aggressive homosexual community who see this as but a stepping stone to something even further." Howarth did not elaborate on what "something further" would be.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22588954|title=Gay marriage: Deal to allow bill to proceed in Parliament|date=20 May 2013|work=BBC News|access-date=21 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521014049/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22588954|archive-date=21 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Expenses ===
Following the expenses scandal of 2009, Howarth said 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.<ref>{{cite news |last=Castle |first=Pete |title=MP meets expenses row with defiance |url=http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/news/s/2050905_mp_meets_expenses_row_with_defiance |date=15 May 2009 |work=Get Hampshire |access-date=7 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522133733/http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/news/s/2050905_mp_meets_expenses_row_with_defiance |archive-date=22 May 2009}}</ref>

=== Honours and appointments ===

After the [[2012 British cabinet reshuffle|2012 reshuffle]], he was recommended for a knighthood and was appointed a [[Knight Bachelor]] on 20 September 2012.<ref>{{cite news |date=12 September 2012 |author=Tim Harris |work=Get Hampshire |url= http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/news/s/2120415_gerald_howarth_recommended_for_knighthood |title=Gerald Howarth 'recommended for knighthood' |access-date=28 November 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121030191731/http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/news/s/2120415_gerald_howarth_recommended_for_knighthood |archive-date=30 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=60274 |date=20 September 2012 |page=1 }}</ref>

In April 2013, he was appointed chairman of the Thatcherite campaign group [[Conservative Way Forward]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Hope |first=Christopher |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/9967112/Former-Coalition-defence-minister-takes-over-Margaret-Thatcher-legacy-group-to-fight-defence-cuts.html |title=Former Coalition defence minister takes over Margaret Thatcher legacy group to fight defence cuts |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=2 April 2013 |access-date=4 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130407005612/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/9967112/Former-Coalition-defence-minister-takes-over-Margaret-Thatcher-legacy-group-to-fight-defence-cuts.html |archive-date=7 April 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Whistleblowing===
Howarth is now the chairman of Addveritas – advisers on [[whistleblowing]].{{cn|date=August 2021}}