Edward Heath Dies

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From the bbc site

Former PM Sir Edward Heath dies



Heath's political life
Former Conservative prime minister Sir Edward Heath has died at the age of 89.
His successor Lady Thatcher said he was a "political giant" and "in every sense the first modern Conservative leader".

Sir Edward, who was knighted in 1992, won his first seat for the Tories in Bexley in 1950 and led the 1970-74 Conservative Government.

He took Britain into the European Economic Community and sent troops to Northern Ireland. His leadership was lost to Margaret Thatcher in 1975.

Lady Thatcher said he was the first modern leader for the party, "by his humble background, by his grammar school education and by the fact of his democratic election".

He represented the sensible wing of the Tory Party

Denis Healey, former Labour chancellor


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'Political giant' remembered

Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "He was a man of great integrity and beliefs he held firmly from which he never wavered.

"He will be remembered by all who knew him as a political leader of great stature and significance."

Earlier on Sunday Sir Edward's spokesman had revealed he was gravely ill and receiving medical attention at home.

The former premier had celebrated his 89th birthday with a party at his home in Salisbury a week ago.

"Enormous patriot"

Sir Edward's term in office was blighted by industrial action and problems with the economy.

With the country on a three-day week and rubbish piling up in the streets, the miners threatened to bring his government down.

Industrial unrest, combined with economic difficulties, led to the Tories being pushed from power in February 1974.

Sir Edward never forgave Mrs Thatcher for ousting him as leader and refused to serve in her cabinet.


Sir Edward, seen with prime minister Harold MacMillan, retired in 2001

When asked in a TV interview if it was true that when Mrs Thatcher was herself deposed he said "rejoice, rejoice," he joked: "I think I said it three times."

After more than 50 years as an MP he retired from politics in 2001.

His former colleague Lord Walker said history would "give him a high rating", adding that he was a "very great man and an enormous patriot".

Former Labour chancellor Denis Healey said Sir Edward had been a friend for many years after the pair met at Oxford University.

"I liked him very much and I think he represented the sensible wing of the Tory Party but of course like others, Ken Clarke and Geoffrey Howe in particular, they could just not win over the extreme ring-wing Conservatives."

In 2003, Sir Edward's health deteriorated while he was on holiday in Austria.

He was being treated for a minor stomach upset at Salzburg's main hospital when tests revealed he was suffering from a pulmonary embolism - a blood clot on the lung.

Sir Edward, a bachelor, was famed for his love of music and sailing, in which he competed at international level.
 
As The Times suggests today, Edward Heath may be one of those politicians whose reputation may be greater in years to come rather than in his own lifetime.

A gifted man, but somewhat awkward and pompous in his manner, he looked like he could have done with a good wife to sort him out. Maybe he should have taken the plunge and married Olivia de Havilland.
 
There was a restrosective on BBC 2 tonight with all the early 70's grandees involved. Looked like a rerun of the 'Mike Yarwood' show.

Interestingly it didn't mention Northen Ireland, where his Govt brokered the Sunningdale Agreement. This was rehashed as the Good Friday Agreement 24 years later and spun to great acclaim by Tone and that bloke who gets Sir Clive Woodward into trouble. He was of course also the sponsor of the Widgery report.

Ar dheis de ar raibh a anam.
 
Oh, not a closet queen, then, Ven? I thought he came over as dreadfully pompous and bumbling in manner - all typical Toryite bluster, although that impression wasn't assisted by his rather puffy appearance, either.
 
(Brian has asked me to be pedantic, as he is visiting his estates in the colonies.) The correct spelling, AntiKri is surely 'poofy'.
 
:D The verra same, sor, the verra same!

You're not lackeying for an Englishman, are you? Oh, the shame, the shame! :shy: Don't you go whining about Cromwell again, d'you hear?
 
Grocer, as I shall think of him forever, was the least pro-Washington Prime Minister of the post-war years. As always, where are they when they are needed?

He also won the Sydney to Hobart yachting race, captained Britain's Admiral's Cup team (the winners) and the Sardinia Cup team, conducted the London Symphony Orchestra and most major orchestras in the world, helped found the European Community Youth Orchestra, of which he was President, and said that he had visited every country in the world apart from North Korea, Bolivia and Paraguay.

I think that rumours of homosexuality are unfounded. My first piece of evidence is that the Conservative party of the '60s would have not got within a mile of electing a gay or bi-sexual man as leader. (Michael Portillo might argue that even in this enlightened age it would not. I have met men who are asexual - this may have been Heath's way. It was once said of him that if he did have sex at all, it was only in a locked vault in the Bank Of England. However, there was Olivai de Havilland and he was never lonely. He once said "I am very good with widows" and Lady Soames and Lady Woolf were very good and loyal friends of his.
 
There was supposedly a conversation between him and the head of the British Army regarding the republican demos that were taking place in NI. "Can't we just shoot a few of them" said Ted. "No. They're civilians. It's against the law." replied the army guy. Ted "couldn't recall the conversation" but didn't deny it may have taken place.

I remember some current affairs programme brought him and some of the miner's leaders who brought him down together some years after the event. One of the miner's leaders asked "Do you think you'll ever lead the conservative party again Mr. Heath?". Ted replied "I doubt it but, I accept your good wishes" and the shoulders started to go up and down.

Ah yes, it brings back all those 'near Heath experiences' I used to have in the bookies.
 
Originally posted by Honest Tom@Jul 19 2005, 02:29 PM
"Can't we just shoot a few of them" said Ted. "No. They're civilians. It's against the law." replied the army guy. Ted "couldn't recall the conversation" but didn't deny it may have taken place.
Click to expand...
"Can't we just shoot a few of them" said Ted. "No. They're civilians. It's against the law." replied the army guy. Ted "couldn't recall the conversation" but didn't deny it may have taken place.
Click to expand...

It's difficult to reconcile this attitude to the same Major Heath (during his wartime service as battery commander) who was so deeply affected for many years afterwards by being obliged to lead the execution squad reponsible for the dispatch of a Polish soldier for some petty offence.

I shall always harbour quite some regard for Ted for his production of the Sunningdale Treaty which was so cynically wrecked by anti-democratic factions. As another poster said previously, Sunningdale was the Good Friday of its time and if allowed to proceed it could have prevented many subsequent deaths in NI.
 
incidental ............ Dammit, every time I use the "Quote" function it seems to come out double -- in glorious stereo! I don't know what I am doing wrong. Apologies to all for this.
 
Icebreaker, when you click on "Quote" in someone's post, the quoted text is in a little box below what you're about to type, so you don't need to do anything else. Next time you "quote" have a little scroll down and you'll see what text you've "quoted".
 
I was going to suggest that Phil but, icebreaker hasn't quoted the whole of my post so he must have edited the lower box.
 
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