Sir Edward Heath, carpenter's son
Not too much was made in this country of the passing this weekend of Sir Edward Heath, former prime minister of Great Britain. But Mr. Heath did much to change the face of politics in Great Britain.
You see, Edward Heath was the son of a carpenter who in 1970 broke the tradition of Britain's privileged leading its political parties. Doesn't seem like much, you say? Maybe not in America, but this was a very big British deal indeed. Heath led the conservatives to power as Prime Minister at a time when Britain was still suffering from post-World War II economic and political decline. Throughout his tenure, however, the country was still controlled by powerful trade unions and he constantly fought with them to revitalize Britain's economic viability.
Sir Edward will be remembered most for his negotiations that allowed Great Britain to enter the European Economic Community, a success accomplished over the vehement objections of France. This single act was the catalyst that began the turnaround of the British economy. In the end, however, it was a massive, union-led coal miner strike in 1974 that brought down his government. Britain was reduced to a three-day work week due to the strike and Heath called for a general election in a showdown with the unions. The unions prevailed and Heath lost to Harold Wilson's Labour Party. After his defeat, the conservative Tories searched for another leader and found one in a young grocer's daughter, Margaret Thatcher.
During Thatcher's 15-year conservative leadership, Heath was consistently voted in by constituents as district representative to the House of Commons and served as a rank-and-file member - this despite his long-standing feud with Thatcher.
In 1992, Edward Heath was awarded Britain's most prestigious order of chivalry, a Knight of the Garter, and thereafter was known as Sir Edward. Unlike today's politicians and not unlike President Reagan, Heath never worried about whether he was liked or disliked...he always did what he thought best for his nation.
Now that is something to be proud of.