British Labour politician
For the Australian politician, see George Howarth (Australian politician).
Sir George Edward Howarth (born 29 June ) is a British Labour Partypolitician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Knowsley until He also served the seat's predecessors since being elected in a by-election in , firstly as the MP for Knowsley North (until ) and then Knowsley North and Sefton East (–).
Born in Prescot, Howarth was educated at the local Huyton Secondary School, the Kirkby College of Further Education, and the Liverpool John Moores University. He went on to study at the University of Salford. He served his apprenticeship for four years from as an engineer, and then worked as an engineer until when he moved into teaching.
In he joined Cooperative Development Services, and in was appointed the Chief Executive at the Wales Cooperative Centre. He became the Chief Executive of the WalesTrades Union Congress sponsored Centre in Cardiff, a position he held before his election to the House of Commons.
Howarth was elected as a councillor to the Huyton District Council in and served in its successor the Knowsley Borough Council until , becoming its deputy leader from to He was the chair of the Knowsley South Constituency Labour Party for four years from
The sitting Labour MP for Knowsley North, Robert Kilroy-Silk, resigned from Parliament in mid term to follow a career with the BBC. In the by-election on 13 November , Howarth was elected with a safe majority of 6, He subsequently became MP for Knowsley North & Sefton East in and Knowsley in as constituency boundaries were redrawn. In the general election, he received 85% of the vote, one of the greatest majorities for a British MP since the advent of universal suffrage.
He served as an opposition spokesperson on Environment – and Home Affairs – In , he was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, and in to the same position at the Northern Ireland Office.[2] He left the government in He has served on a wide variety of select committees.[2] He became a member of the Privy Council in
Howarth helped to enact the modern postal voting system. By , the system of postal and proxy voting for those unable to vote at polling stations was seen as cumbersome and complex. Howarth, as Minister of State at the Home Office, chaired the Working Party on Electoral Procedures, which recommended that: absent voting should be allowed on demand and that the application and voting procedures for absent voting should be simplified. The Representation of the People Act implemented the recommendations. The Representation of the People (England & Wales) Regulations introduced the changes to the absent voting arrangements from 16 February The main change was to allow postal voting on demand.
Howarth was appointed one of two temporary Deputy Speakers of the House after the Queens Speech, until the new deputy speakers were elected on 3 June Following the Queens Speech, Howarth again served until the new deputy speakers were elected on 28 June without standing for the position himself.
He supported Owen Smith in the failed attempt to replace Jeremy Corbyn in the Labour leadership election.[3]
Howarth was knighted in the Birthday Honours.[4] He briefly acted as First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means at the start of the Parliament.
He announced in June that he would retire at the general election.[5] He was succeeded as MP by Anneliese Midgley.[6]
Howarth is the father of three children.[7] In , Howarth's daughter, Sián, died at the age of 24 due to complications from Type 1 diabetes.[8]