Geraint Howells
| The Lord Geraint | |
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| Member of Parliament for Ceredigion and Pembroke North Cardigan (1974–1983) |
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In office 28 February 1974 – 9 April 1992 |
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| Preceded by | Elystan Morgan |
| Succeeded by | Cynog Dafis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 April 1925 |
| Died | 17 April 2004 (aged 79) |
| Occupation | British politician |
Geraint Wyn Howells, Baron Geraint (15 April 1925 – 17 April 2004) was a leading Welsh Liberal Democrat politician. Howells was born in Ponterwyd in Cardiganshire. He was the son of David John and Mary Blodwen Howells, both farmers.
Howells was educated at Ponterwyd Primary School and Ardwyn Grammar School, Aberystwyth. During his parliamentary career Howells also retained close links with Aberystwyth and Lampeter universities.
Howells' main living was as a hill farmer in Glennydd, Ponterwyd in Cardiganshire. He held some 750 acres there with around 3,000 sheep. The majority were prize winning Speckled Faces. Howells was also a champion sheep shearer. He held senior positions in the British Wool Marketing Board and was also chairman of the Wool Producers of Wales, 1977–1983. Politically, Howells was elected to Cardiganshire County Council as an Independent in 1952. At this time it was normal practice in Welsh rural counties for Liberal members to stand as independents.
Howells was selected as the parliamentary candidate for Brecon and Radnor in 1968. He was the first Liberal to contest the seat in the post-war period. He came third with 18.9 per cent of the vote. During this period Howells became one of the central players in the Welsh Liberal Party.
In 1972 Howells was selected as the parliamentary candidate for Cardiganshire, a seat with a longstanding Liberal tradition. It had been held by the Liberal MP, Roderic Bowen, until his defeat by Labour's Elystan Morgan in 1966. In the February 1974 general election Howells defeated Morgan and retained the constituency in several different forms until 1992. Thus he was Member of Parliament (MP) for Cardigan (1974–1983) and Ceredigion and Pembroke North (1983–1992) after boundary changes. Howells was the Liberal Party's spokesman on Welsh Affairs (1979–1987) and agriculture (1987–92). His Westminster secretary and agent was Judi Lewis (Welsh Liberal Democrat chief executive 1992–1997) whilst one of his researchers was Mark Williams who would later win the seat for the Liberal Democrats in 2005.
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