Richard Edward Geoffrey Howe, Baron Howe of Aberavon, CH, PC, QC (20 December 1926 – 9 October 2015), known from 1970 to 1992 as Sir Geoffrey Howe, was a British politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1989 to 1990. A member of the Conservative Party, he was Margaret Thatcher's longest-serving Cabinet minister, successively holding the posts of chancellor of the Exchequer, foreign secretary, and finally leader of the House of Commons, deputy prime minister and Lord President of the Council. His resignation from Cabinet on 1 November 1990 is widely considered to have precipitated the leadership challenge that led to Thatcher's resignation three weeks later.
Portrayal
Geoffrey Howe is portrayed as a dull and boring fellow, who usually bores other people with stories and boring tidbits. As Foreign Secretary, he's usually portrayed trying (and failing) to solve foreign issues like the ones in South Africa, Hong Kong and Libya.
Howe is also always accompanied by a teddy bear.
After Series 6, Howe voiced his discontent at being reshuffled to a useless position in Thatcher's cabinet. After his resignation, Howe made cameos in the Major era, usually in sketches involving his old hated boss, Thatcher.