The Incredible Sulk

Ted Heath is dead. IMO the worst British PM of the 20th century for he got us into the EU by misrepresenting it as a mere economic union, not the political monster it was always intended to be.

Heath fell from power because he misunderstood the public mood over his confrontation with the miners. He then sulked because Maggie became leader of the Conservatives. He was singularly lacking in graciousness. She paid warm tribute to him on his death. In life he rejoiced when she fell from power. Benn described Heath as to the left of Blair. That was his trouble. His idea of Conservatism was so far to the left that the party needed Maggie to shift the whole centre of Brotish politics. When Heath first met the newly elected MP Blair he said that Blair did not look or sound like a Labour MP. So perhaps Ted was a better prophet than PM.

Funny, but neither Heath not Maggie sounded at all like their origins. When they got on in politics they sounded like the toffs surrounding them.