Michael Howard
A sharp-minded barrister who rose to lead the Conservative Party, steering it through a turbulent period with disciplined, forensic opposition.
Born 1941 (age 85)·British politician·Birthday: July 7·The Silent Generation
Biography
Michael Howard's political career was defined by a formidable, legalistic intellect and a reputation as a tough operator. The son of Romanian Jewish immigrants, he rose through the Conservative ranks as a loyal minister under Margaret Thatcher and John Major, where he earned the nickname 'Something of the Night' for his stern demeanor. As Home Secretary, he championed a famously tough stance on law and order, encapsulated by the phrase 'Prison works.' In 2003, he took the helm of a Conservative Party demoralized by two landslide defeats, imposing a unity and discipline it had lacked. Though his tenure as Leader of the Opposition did not return the party to power, he is widely credited with stabilizing it and setting the stage for its eventual recovery. Made a life peer after stepping down, Howard remained a respected, if sometimes polarizing, figure whose unwavering belief in conservative principles shaped British politics for decades.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Michael was born in 1941, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Michael Was Born
The biggest hits of 1941
#1 Movie
Sergeant York
Best Picture
How Green Was My Valley
Michael's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1941Born
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1946Started school
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1954Became a teenager
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Could drive
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1959Could vote
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Turned 21
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1971Turned 30
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 40
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 50
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 60
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 70
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 80
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 85 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2003 to 2005, rebuilding party unity.
- Held three major cabinet posts: Secretary of State for Employment, for the Environment, and Home Secretary.
- As Home Secretary, introduced the landmark Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
- Was elected Member of Parliament for Folkestone and Hythe (later Folkestone and West Hythe) for 24 consecutive years.
Did You Know?
He is a trained barrister and was appointed Queen's Counsel (QC) in 1982.
Annabel, his wife, is the daughter of a former Conservative MP, and they have been married since 1975.
He is a passionate supporter of the football club Arsenal F.C.
“Prison works. It ensures that we are protected from murderers, muggers and rapists.”
