Edward Heath
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The Right Honourable Sir Edward Heath KG MBE |
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| Prime Minister of the United Kingdom | |
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In office 19 June 1970 – 4 March 1974 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | Harold Wilson |
| Succeeded by | Harold Wilson |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
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In office 4 March 1974 – 11 February 1975 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Harold Wilson |
| Preceded by | Harold Wilson |
| Succeeded by | Margaret Thatcher |
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In office 28 July 1965 – 19 June 1970 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Harold Wilson |
| Preceded by | Sir Alec Douglas-Home |
| Succeeded by | Harold Wilson |
| Leader of the Conservative Party | |
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In office 28 July 1965 – 11 February 1975 |
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| Preceded by | Sir Alec Douglas-Home |
| Succeeded by | Margaret Thatcher |
| Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer | |
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In office 27 October 1964 – 27 July 1965 |
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| Leader | Sir Alec Douglas-Home |
| Preceded by | Reginald Maudling |
| Succeeded by | Iain Macleod |
| President of the Board of Trade | |
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In office 20 October 1963 – 16 October 1964 |
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| Prime Minister | Sir Alec Douglas-Home |
| Preceded by | Fred Erroll |
| Succeeded by | Douglas Jay |
| Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development | |
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In office 20 October 1963 – 16 October 1964 |
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| Prime Minister | Sir Alec Douglas-Home |
| Preceded by | Position created |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Lord Privy Seal | |
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In office 14 February 1960 – 18 October 1963 |
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| Prime Minister | Harold Macmillan |
| Preceded by | The Viscount Hailsham |
| Succeeded by | Selwyn Lloyd |
| Minister of Labour | |
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In office 14 October 1959 – 27 July 1960 |
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| Prime Minister | Harold Macmillan |
| Preceded by | Iain Macleod |
| Succeeded by | John Hare |
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Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury Government Chief Whip in the House of Commons |
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In office 7 April 1955 – 14 June 1959 |
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| Prime Minister |
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| Preceded by | Patrick Buchan-Hepburn |
| Succeeded by | Martin Redmayne |
| Father of the House | |
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In office 9 April 1992 – 7 June 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Bernard Braine |
| Succeeded by | Tam Dalyell |
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Member of Parliament for Old Bexley and Sidcup Sidcup (1974–1983) Bexley (1950–1974) |
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In office 23 February 1950 – 7 June 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Ashley Bramall |
| Succeeded by | Derek Conway |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Edward Richard George Heath 9 July 1916 Broadstairs, Kent, England |
| Died | 17 July 2005 (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
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| 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 "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005) 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 was the top-ranking candidate for 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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