Edward Heath

Edward Heath was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970-1974.

His electoral victory in 1970 was something of a surprise, as the incumbent Harold Wilson was not especially unpopular and indeed his Labour Party was comfortably ahead in the polls - some have attributed the sudden souring of public opinion to England's defeat in the World Cup the week before (they had been the reigning champions).

His most lasting achievement was to the UK into the EEC (later the EU) in 1973. However, in the short term his tenure was blighted by industrial unrest, including a devastating miners' strike. This resulted in the famous 'three-day-week', in which commercial consumption of electricity was limited to three days per week, with the exception of essential services.

The 1974 election produced a Hung Parliament (ie no single party held a majority) - the refusal of the Ulster Unionists or the Liberals to form a coalition with the Conservatives led to Heath's resignation, and the return of Harold Wilson.

A second election in 1974 produced a rather more comfortable victory for Labour, and Heath was replaced by Margaret Thatcher as party leader.

He remained an MP until 2001, consistently critical of Thatcher's radical policies. He died in 2005.