Howard, Michael (1941– )

British Conservative politician, party leader 2003–05. As party leader he halved the size of the shadow cabinet to 12, and, though he said he would lead from the centre of the party, in 2005 he took the party further rightwards with its campaign and election manifesto focusing on tighter immigration controls, law and order, and lower taxes. Despite the Conservatives gaining 33 seats in the May 2005 general election it was the party's third successive electoral defeat, and Howard stood down as leader in December 2005. He was succeeded by David Cameron.

As home secretary 1993–97 Howard advocated increased police powers, as embodied in the 1994 Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill, and tougher sentencing. He was shadow chancellor of the Exchequer until he became the party's new leader in November 2003, following the ousting of Iain Duncan Smith in a Conservative MPs' vote of confidence.

Howard was born in Gorseinon, south Wales. After a successful legal career as a barrister, he entered the House of Commons in 1983 and, under Margaret Thatcher, made rapid ministerial progress through the departments of trade and industry, environment, and employment, until being appointed home secretary by John Major in 1993. His populist approach to law and order won him the plaudits of grass-roots party members, but he was forced to retreat on a number of key points, including that of police restructuring, in the face of criticism from senior Conservative figures as well as members of the judiciary.

His position as home secretary was seriously threatened in October 1995 following allegations that he had unduly interfered in the operations of the prison service. After the Conservative Party's election defeat in May 1997, he unsuccessfully contested for the party's vacant leadership, but critical comments by former ministerial colleague Ann Widdecombe about his conduct as home secretary undermined his challenge. He retired to the backbenches 1999–2001, after attacks from fellow Conservative MPs while he was shadow foreign secretary for backing the Labour government over the war in Kosovo.