Sir Edward Heath passes away
18 Jul 2005
The
first Conservative prime minister to be born the son of
a manual worker, Heath pursued his European vision against
every discouragement. But in the face of almost continuous
crisis he was unable to maintain policy at home.
Determined
to reform industrial relations, he made matters worse
through ill-considered legislation. In consequence, "the
grocer" was pilloried as a heartless automaton, contemptuous
of the poor and unemployed.
Heath also differed from most prime ministers in his interests. A keen sailor, he had won the Sydney-Hobart race in his yacht Morning Cloud in 1969; and in 1971, as PM, he captained the British team which won the Admiral''s Cup. That same year he conducted Elgar''s Cockaigne overture at the Royal Festival Hall.
