Gerald Howarth MP
Member of Parliament for Aldershot & Shadow Defence Minister
Gerald was born in Guildford, Surrey, in 1947. He studied English at Southampton University. From 1971 until he first entered Parliament in 1983 Gerald worked as an international banker, for Bank of America Limited, European Arab Bank and then Standard Chartered Bank. He has been married to Elizabeth since 1973 and they have three children. Gerald was first elected to Parliament in 1983 for Cannock and Burntwood, Staffordshire, which he represented until 1992, the only Conservative ever to have served 2 terms for this coal-mining constituency. During this time, he held a number of posts, including Parliamentary Private Secretary to Margaret Thatcher. Gerald was re-elected to Parliament for Aldershot in 1997. Since then he has worked hard for his constituents and is a popular MP in this military and aviation minded constituency.
From 1997-2001 Gerald served on the Home Affairs Select Committee and was a member of the Executive of the 1922 Committee of Conservative MPs. From 2001-2003 he was Vice-Chairman of the Defence Select Committee and since 2002 he has been a Shadow Defence Minister reporting to the Hon Nicholas Soames MP, Shadow Defence Secretary, with responsibility for defence procurement, the Royal Air Force, and veterans affairs.
Gerald’s other posts include
• Chairman of the 92 Group of Conservative MPs
• Chairman of the Lords and Commons Family and Child Protection Group which campaigns on family values
• President, the Air Display Association Europe
• Vice President of the Rushmoor Odd Fellows Male Voice Choir
• President of 417 Sqn Aldershot Air Cadets
• Council Member, The Freedom Association
Defence Diplomacy = to provide forces to meet the varied activities undertaken by the MoD to dispel hostility, build and maintain trust and assist in the development of democratically accountable armed forces, thereby making a significant contribution to conflict prevention and resolution.