Howe, (Richard Edward) Geoffrey (1926– )

British Conservative politician, member of Parliament for Surrey East. As chancellor of the Exchequer 1979–83 under Margaret Thatcher, he put into practice the monetarist policy that reduced inflation at the cost of a rise in unemployment. In 1983 he became foreign secretary, and in 1989 deputy prime minister and leader of the House of Commons. On 1 November 1990 he resigned in protest at Thatcher's continued opposition to the UK's greater integration in Europe.

Howe was born in Port Talbot, Glamorgan, and educated at Westminster School and Trinity Hall, Cambridge. Many of the ideas proposed by Howe in the early 1960s were subsequently taken up by the Thatcher government. Under Edward Heath he was solicitor general 1970–72 and minister for trade 1972–74.

A barrister, Howe was elected Conservative MP for Bebington in 1964, but was defeated in 1966. In 1970 he was elected for Reigate and became MP for East Surrey in 1972. He was an opposition spokesperson on labour and social services in 1965–66 and became solicitor general in 1970, when he was knighted, as is customary on appointment to the post. Sir Geoffrey was one of the ministers responsible for drafting and guiding the Conservatives' Industrial Relations Act through Parliament. He was opposition spokesperson on the social services from 1974. He published his memoirs Conflict of Loyalty in 1994.