David Howarth, former MP, Cambridge

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About your former Member of Parliament

David Howarth is a former MP for Cambridge.

Former Liberal Democrat MP for Cambridge

Entered the House of Commons on 5 May 2005 — General election

Left the House of Commons on 12 April 2010 — did not stand for re-election

Member, Committee on Reform of the House of Commons (10 Aug 2009 to 11 May 2010)
Shadow Secretary of State for Justice ( 8 Jan 2009 to 11 May 2010)
Shadow Minister (Shadow Solicitor General), Home Affairs (21 Jul 2008 to 8 Jan 2009)
Member, Justice Committee ( 7 Nov 2007 to 18 Apr 2008)
Shadow Solicitor General, Ministry of Justice ( 5 Jul 2007 to 8 Jan 2009)
Member, Draft Climate Change Bill (Joint Committee) (27 Apr 2007 to 3 Jun 2008)
Shadow Minister (Energy), Trade & Industry (21 Mar 2006 to 4 Jul 2007)
Member, Constitutional Affairs Committee (14 Jul 2005 to 7 Nov 2007)
Member, Environmental Audit Committee (14 Jul 2005 to 13 Jul 2007)
Shadow Minister, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister ( 1 Jun 2005 to 21 Mar 2006)

Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Bill Committee (0 out of 1)
Bribery Bill Committee (5 out of 5)
Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill Committee (2 out of 1)
Green Energy (Definition and Promotion) Bill Committee (1 out of 1)
Perpetuities and Accumulations Bill Committee (2 out of 2)
Damages (Asbestos-Related Conditions) Bill Committee (1 out of 1)
Coroners and Justice Bill Committee (16 out of 16)
Law Commission Bill Committee (1 out of 1)
Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill Committee (4 out of 8)
Political Parties and Elections Bill Committee (11 out of 11)
Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill Committee (8 out of 8)
Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill Committee (8 out of 8)
Company Law Reform Bill Committee (21 out of 22)
Council Tax (New Valuation Lists for England) Bill Committee (1 out of 1)

Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill: Clause 29 — Referendum on voting systems 8 Apr 2010

The timing of this discussion is quite extraordinary. The day after the Prime Minister announced a programme that appears to include a referendum on electoral reform, the Government will have to troop through the Lobby to oppose that very policy. It seems to be a pattern that the Labour party proposes something to get a few votes, and when it has those votes it suddenly forgets about its...
Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill: Clause 29 — Referendum on voting systems 8 Apr 2010

That is a very good metaphor. In fact, that proposal combined with the other Conservative proposal to reduce the number of Members of Parliament would make the existing system even less proportionate.
Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill: Clause 29 — Referendum on voting systems 8 Apr 2010

I am all in favour of making the electoral system fairer. That is why I oppose the amendment, because the only way to make the first-past-the-post system fairer is by abolishing it and replacing it with a better system. I concede that, as the Secretary of State said, the AV system is not necessarily proportionate. I prefer the single transferable vote system, which is proportionate, and we...

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