George Howarth

George Edward Howarth (born 29 June 1949) is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Knowsley North from 1986 until 1997, and for its replacement Knowsley North and Sefton East since then.

Born in Merseyside, he 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 1966 as an engineer, and then worked as an engineer until 1975 when he moved into teaching. In 1980 he joined Cooperative Development Services, and in 1982 was appointed the Chief Executive at the Walm Cooperative Centre. He became the Chief Executive of the Wales Trades Union Congress 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 1971 and served in its successor the Knowsley Borough Council until 1986, becoming its deputy leader from 1982-1983. He was the chair of the Knowsley South Constituency Labour Party for four years from 1981.

The sitting Labour MP for Knowsley North, Robert Kilroy-Silk resigned from Parliament to follow a career in television with the BBC. Howarth was elected on November 13, 1986 at the by-election with a safe majority of 6,724.

In Parliament he served as an opposition spokesperson on Environment 1989-1994 and Home Affairs 1994-1997. In 1997 he was appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, and then at the same position at the Northern Ireland Office in 1999. He was sacked in 2001. He has served on select committees. He became a member of the Privy Council in 2005.

External links

• George Howarth, Labour MP for Knowsley North and Sefton East official biography
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: George Howarth MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - George Howarth MP