Posted on 07/17/2005 9:11:50 AM PDT by Big Bad Bob
Former Conservative Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath is "nearing the end of his life", his spokesman said. Sir Edward, 89, is "resting quietly at home" where he is receiving medical attention, the spokesman said.
He won his first seat for the Tories in Bexley in 1950 and led the 1970-74 Conservative Government.
Sir Edward took Britain into the European Economic Community and sent troops to N Ireland. In 1975 he lost the leadership to Margaret Thatcher.
The spokesman said: "Sir Edward Heath, who celebrated his 89th birthday with a party at his home in Salisbury a week ago, has recently become considerably weaker.
"He is now nearing the end of his life.
"Sir Edward is resting quietly at home where he is receiving all appropriate medical care and is supported by visits from friends.
"No further statement will be issued until there is a change in his condition."
Sir Edward's term in office was blighted by industrial action and problems with the economy.
With the country on a three-day week and rubbish piling up in the streets, the miners threatened to bring his government down.
Industrial unrest, combined with economic difficulties, led to the Tories being pushed from power in February 1974.
Sir Edward never forgave Mrs Thatcher for ousting him as leader and refused to serve in her cabinet.
He was knighted in 1992 and, after more than 50 years as an MP, retired from politics in 2001.
In 2003, Sir Edward's health deteriorated while he was on holiday in Austria.
He was being treated for a minor stomach upset at Salzburg's main hospital when tests revealed he was suffering from a pulmonary embolism - a blood clot on the lung.
Sir Edward, a bachelor, is famed for his love of music and sailing, in which he competed at international level.
Don't ask me what I want it for...
Ah-ah Mr. Wilson...
If you don't want to pay some more...
Ah-ah Mr. Heath...
I was in England at that time. There were rail strikes, coal strikes, artificial shortages of basic goods in the stores (one week there was no sugar), and the labor unions were basically running the country into the ground, with no effective opposition.
Then along came Maggie Thatcher, and Ted Heath went onto the trash dump of history, where he belonged. I wish him well now, but he typified a long string of weak Conservative leadership throughout the 20th century, broken only by Churchill and Thatcher.
Woke up this morning, what did I see
A big black cloud hanging over me
I switched on the radio and nearly dropped dead
The news was so bad that I fell out of bed
There was a gas strike, oil strike, lorry strike, bread strike
Got to be a superman to survive
Come on, old fart! Buck it up!
I always suspected that song chonicled the Heath years . . . although things would get worse under the subsequent Labour government.
He's died. RIP to an honourable man.
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