Edward Heath

Prime Ministers

1970 - 1974

Edward Heath

Party - Conservative

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b-July 9, 1916, Broadstairs, Kent, England

Of modest origins, Heath was educated at Oxford, where he was elected president of the University Conservative Association in 1937. In 1938, as chairman of the Federation of University Conservative Associations and president of the Oxford Union, he actively opposed the policy of appeasement toward Nazi Germany pursued by the Conservative prime minister Neville Chamberlain. He served in the army during World War II, worked in the Ministry of Civil Aviation in 1946-47, was editor of the Church Times from January 1948 to October 1949, and then became a member of a merchant banking firm.

Heath was elected to Parliament as a Conservative in the election of February 1950. In February 1951 he became an assistant whip. After a succession of posts in the whip's office he was made parliamentary secretary to the Treasury and chief government whip under Prime Minister Anthony Eden in December 1955. He served as minister of labour in the government of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan from October 1959 to July 1960, when he became lord privy seal with Foreign Office responsibilities. In this capacity he represented Britain in negotiations for entry into the European Economic Community. In October 1963 he became secretary of state for industry, trade, and regional development and president of the Board of Trade.

After the Conservative defeat in October 1964, Heath became a major opposition figure. Upon Sir Alec Douglas-Home's resignation he was elected leader of the opposition in July 1965. His party suffered a decisive defeat in the March 1966 general election but won a victory in the election of June 1970, defeating the Labour Party of Prime Minister Harold Wilson. As prime minister, Heath had to face the crisis of violent conflict in Northern Ireland, over which he imposed direct British rule in 1972. Heath scored a major triumph by winning French acceptance of British entry into the European Economic Community in 1972-73. He proved unable, however, to cope with Britain's mounting economic problems, chiefly rising inflation and unemployment and a series of crippling labour strikes. Hoping to win a new mandate, Heath called for a general election on Feb. 28, 1974. The Conservatives lost seats in the Commons to Labour, Heath failed to form a coalition government, and he was succeeded by Harold Wilson on March 4. After the Conservatives were defeated in another general election in October, Heath was replaced as party leader by Margaret Thatcher in 1975.

Heath's papers and correspondence are currently held in private possession, and will probably remain so until he leaves politics. However, the Public Record Office holds his official papers and diaries regarding UK entry into the Common Market from 1960 to 1963. Examples of Heath's correspondence with other leading public figures can be found at various repositories around the country, for example, the Brotherton Library at Leeds University holds his correspondence with Lord Bottomley from 1964 to 1969.