 He joined the Amalgamated Engineering Union in 1943 and the Labour Party in 1945; in 1946 he became a member of the trade union Draughtsmen and Allied Technicians Union (DATA).Popular within the local party, Howarth was elected President of Bolton Labour Party.He was made a School and Technical College Governor in 1955 and served on Bolton Town Council from 1958 to 1960, being Vice-Chairman of the Housing Committee.