Edward
Heath, the son of a builder, was born in Broadstairs in 1916. He studied
at Balliol College, Oxford
and served in the British
Army
during the Second World War.
A member
of the Conservative Party, Heath worked
for the Conservative Central Office before being elected to the House
of Commons in 1950.
In 1955
Anthony
Eden appointed
Heath as his Chief Whip. Later he served as Minister of Labour (1959-60)
under Harold
Macmillan.
As Lord Privy Seal he led the British team negotiating entry into
the Common Market. A passionate European he was devastated when Charles
De Gaulle vetoed Britain's entry in 1963. In the Alec
Douglas-Home administration
Heath was President of the Board of Trade.
The Labour
Party won the 1964 General Election and
the following year Heath was elected leader of the Conservative
Party. He lost the 1966 General Election
but defeated Harold Wilson in 1970.
Heath successfully
led Britain into the Common Market. However, many in his party was
unhappy with this policy and it created deep divisions that lasted
for over thirty years.
Heath also
came into conflict with the trade unions over his attempts to impose
a prices and incomes policy. His attempts to legislate against unofficial
strikes led to industrial disputes. In 1973 a miners' work-to-rule
led to regular power cuts and the imposition of a three day week.
Heath called a general election in 1974 on the issue of "who
rules". He failed to get a majority and Harold
Wilson and the Labour Party returned
to power.
In 1975
Heath lost the leadership of the Conservative
Party. However, he remained in the House
of Commons as a backbencher until 2001 when he agreed to join
the House of Lords.
History
of the European Union: Integration Process and European Citizenship
