Richard Howitt (politician)

For other people named Richard Howitt, see Richard Howitt (disambiguation).
Richard Howitt
MEP
Member of the European Parliament
for the East of England
Assumed office
10 June 1999
Preceded by Position established
Member of the European Parliament
for Essex South
In office
9 June 1994 – 10 June 1999
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Position abolished
Personal details
Born (1961-04-05) 5 April 1961
Reading, Berkshire
Political party PES / Labour
Alma mater Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford

Richard Stuart Howitt (born 5 April 1961) is a Member of the European Parliament for the Labour Party for the East of England. He has been a member of the European Parliament since 1994.

Background

Howitt was born in Reading, Berkshire. He was brought up in a single-parent family, in a council house, and went to a comprehensive school.[1] He graduated with a BA degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford in 1982 and has a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies from the University of Hertfordshire.[2]

After leaving university, he worked for four years in the voluntary sector and eight years for a disability organisation.

Political activity

Howitt served as a councillor on Harlow District Council from 1983 to 1995, including three years as Leader of the council.[2] He was the Labour Party candidate in Billericay in the 1987 general election.[2]

Howitt was elected as a MEP to the European Parliament, representing the Essex South constituency, and has served for the East of England constituency since 1999. Howitt helped to negotiate a £22 million European Union fund to help finance food banks in the UK but the UK government refused to accept the funds. Howlett stated:

It is very sad that our government is opposing this much-needed help for foodbanks on the basis that it is a national responsibility, when in reality it has no intention of providing the help itself. The only conclusion is that Conservative anti-European ideology is being put before the needs of the most destitute and deprived in our society.[3]

Richard Howitt has been a member of the Labour Party's National Policy Forum since 1994.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "biography". Richard Howitt. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Richard Howitt". European Parliament. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  3. ↑ Government under fire for rejecting European Union food bank funding

External links

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