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Ted Heath

The Right Honourable
Sir Edward Heath
KG MBE
Heathdod.JPG
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office
19 June 1970 – 4 March 1974
Monarch Elizabeth II
Preceded by Harold Wilson
Succeeded by Harold Wilson
Leader of the Opposition
In office
4 March 1974 – 11 February 1975
Monarch Elizabeth II
Prime Minister Harold Wilson
Preceded by Harold Wilson
Succeeded by Margaret Thatcher
In office
28 July 1965 – 19 June 1970
Monarch Elizabeth II
Prime Minister Harold Wilson
Preceded by Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Succeeded by Harold Wilson
Leader of the Conservative Party
In office
28 July 1965 – 11 February 1975
Preceded by Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Succeeded by Margaret Thatcher
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
In office
27 October 1964 – 27 July 1965
Leader Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Preceded by Reginald Maudling
Succeeded by Iain Macleod
President of the Board of Trade
In office
20 October 1963 – 16 October 1964
Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Preceded by Fred Erroll
Succeeded by Douglas Jay
Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development
In office
20 October 1963 – 16 October 1964
Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home
Preceded by Position created
Succeeded by Position abolished
Lord Privy Seal
In office
14 February 1960 – 18 October 1963
Prime Minister Harold Macmillan
Preceded by The Viscount Hailsham
Succeeded by Selwyn Lloyd
Minister of Labour
In office
14 October 1959 – 27 July 1960
Prime Minister Harold Macmillan
Preceded by Iain Macleod
Succeeded by John Hare
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury
Government Chief Whip in the House of Commons
In office
7 April 1955 – 14 June 1959
Prime Minister
Preceded by Patrick Buchan-Hepburn
Succeeded by Martin Redmayne
Father of the House
In office
9 April 1992 – 7 June 2001
Preceded by Bernard Braine
Succeeded by Tam Dalyell
Member of Parliament
for Old Bexley and Sidcup
Sidcup (1974–1983)
Bexley (1950–1974)
In office
23 February 1950 – 7 June 2001
Preceded by Ashley Bramall
Succeeded by Derek Conway
Personal details
Born Edward Richard George Heath
(1916-07-09)9 July 1916
Broadstairs, Kent, England
Died 17 July 2005(2005-07-17) (aged 89)
Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
Resting place Salisbury Cathedral
Nationality British
Political party Conservative
Alma mater Balliol College, Oxford
Profession
Religion Church of England
Signature
Military service
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  British Army
Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Unit Royal Artillery
Honourable Artillery Company
Battles/wars Second World War
Awards Member of the Order of the British Empire, Military Division
Mentioned in Dispatches

Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE, PC (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005), often known as Ted Heath, was a British politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974, and as the Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. He was a strong supporter of the European Communities, and after winning the decisive vote in the House of Commons by 336 to 244, he led the negotiations that culminated in Britain's entry into the European Communities on 1 January 1973. It was, says biographer John Campbell, "Heath's finest hour." Although he planned to be an innovator as Prime Minister, his government foundered on economic difficulties, including high inflation and major strikes that he could not control. He led his party to defeat by the Labour Party twice in 1974. He became a vehement opponent of Margaret Thatcher, who supplanted him as party leader in 1975.

Heath's lower middle-class origins were quite unusual for a Conservative Party leader. However, he was a leader in student politics at Oxford University, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Second World War. He worked briefly in the Civil Service, but resigned in order to stand for Parliament, and was elected for Bexley in the 1950 general election. He was the Chief Whip from 1955 to 1959. Having entered the Cabinet as Minister of Labour in 1959, he was promoted to Lord Privy Seal and later became President of the Board of Trade. Heath was elected leader of the Conservative Party in 1965; he retained that position despite losing the 1966 general election.


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