Michael Heseltine

The Right Honourable The Lord Heseltine CH PC
Heseltine, photographed in 2013
Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office 20 July 1995 – 2 May 1997
Prime Minister	John Major
Preceded by	Geoffrey Howe (1990)
Succeeded by	John Prescott
First Secretary of State
In office 20 July 1995 – 2 May 1997
Prime Minister	John Major
Preceded by	Barbara Castle (1970)
Succeeded by	John Prescott (2001)
President of the Board of Trade and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
In office 11 April 1992 – 5 July 1995
Prime Minister	John Major
Preceded by	Peter Lilley
Succeeded by	Ian Lang
Secretary of State for the Environment
In office 28 November 1990 – 11 April 1992
Prime Minister	John Major
Preceded by	Chris Patten
Succeeded by	Michael Howard
In office 5 May 1979 – 6 January 1983
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Peter Shore
Succeeded by	Tom King
Secretary of State for Defence
In office 6 January 1983 – 7 January 1986
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	John Nott
Succeeded by	George Younger
Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment
In office 19 November 1976 – 4 May 1979
Leader	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Timothy Raison
Succeeded by	Peter Shore
Shadow Secretary of State for Industry
In office 28 February 1974 – 19 November 1976
Leader	Edward Heath Margaret Thatcher
Succeeded by	John Biffen
Minister of State for Aerospace and Shipping
In office 24 March 1972 – 28 February 1974
Prime Minister	Edward Heath
Preceded by	Frederick Corfield
Succeeded by	Stanley Clinton Davis
Member of Parliament for Henley
In office 28 February 1974 – 7 June 2001
Preceded by	John Hay
Succeeded by	Boris Johnson
Member of Parliament for
In office 31 March 1966 – 28 February 1974
Preceded by	Henry Studholme
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine (1933-03-21) 21 March 1933 (age 83) Swansea, Wales
Nationality	British
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Anne Heseltine
Children	Annabel Alexandra Rupert
Alma mater	Pembroke College, Oxford
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1959
Rank	Second Lieutenant
Unit	Welsh Guards
a. ^ Office vacant from 1 November 1990 to 5 July 1995. b. ^ Office vacant from 19 June 1970 to 5 July 1995. c. ^ Office vacant from 2 May 1997 to 8 June 2001.

Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine CH PC (born 21 March 1933) is a British Conservative politician and businessman. He was a Member of Parliament from 1966 to 2001, and was a prominent figure in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major including serving as Deputy Prime Minister under the latter. In 1990 he stood for the leadership of the Conservative Party against Margaret Thatcher and although he was unsuccessful in his bid, his action triggered Thatcher's eventual resignation.

Heseltine entered the Cabinet in 1979 as Secretary of State for the Environment, where he promoted the "Right to buy" campaign that allowed two million families to purchase their council houses. He was Secretary of State for Defence from 1983 to 1986. In the latter role he was instrumental in the political battle against the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Heseltine was considered an adept media performer and a charismatic minister, although he was frequently at odds with Thatcher on economic issues and was one of the most visible "wets" in that regard. He resigned from the Cabinet in 1986 over the Westland Affair and returned to the back benches. Following Geoffrey Howe's resignation speech in November 1990, Heseltine challenged Thatcher for the leadership of the Conservative Party, polling well enough to deny her an outright victory on the first ballot. He lost to John Major on the second ballot. Major later returned Heseltine to the Cabinet.