[citation needed] He was a Unionist in politics, and was elected as Conservative Member of Parliament for Salford South in 1886.

In 1893 he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society, against considerable opposition[citation needed] as he lacked any formal scientific education.

Howorth was a controversialist, frequently airing his opinions on the letters page of The Times, sometimes under the pseudonym "A Manchester Conservative".

Sir Henry Howorth died in July 1923 aged 81, and was buried in Putney Vale Cemetery.

[3] The books and journals he authored summarise his vast areas of interest: On Mongolia: On the English Church: In his geological works, he attacked the theories of Charles Lyell, discounting the existence of Ice Ages in favour of great floods: