UK Prime Ministers: Edward Heath

Edward Heath was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom between 1970 and 1974. His period in office would chiefly be remembered for two things. Britain's entry in the European Economic Community (EEC) and for the confrontation with the unions, and the implementation of the three-day week that would, ultimately, bring down his government, brining Harold Wilson to power leading a minority Labour government at the 1974 election.

Correction:
3:48 28 people were shot on Bloody Sunday, but only 13 people died. The way I express this in the video is ambiguous, thus the clarification.

[brianrunyon]

Thanks for these, as an American with an interest in UK history and politics. First heard of Heath and his struggles as PM via a BBC audio program. Eyewitness: 1970 to 1979.

[wolfpack]

It's worth mentioning the Sunningdale Agreement was primarily opposed not due to power sharing but because it gave politicians from the Republic of Ireland an advisory role and some executive power over Northern Ireland.

[tancreddehauteville]

Heath was one of the last politicians who experienced WW2 and witnessed its horror at first hand. He was a committed European because of this. Calling an early election was a grave mistake.

[ThomasBoyd-in]

Excellent summary on it. Brilliant content UK politics.

[AntonRayne]

It’s interesting how politically contentious the 70s were. Not only just for the UK with strikes and Northern Ireland but also for the US with Watergate and Stagflation and the Soviet Union with the decline of Brezhnev and Afghanistan

[rhysalexander]

When giving guided tours of Oxford, I always enjoy telling people at Balliol College that two of its most famous alumni are Heath who brought us into the EU (or EEC) and Johnson who brought us out of it!

[d_cave]

Anyone else thinks Heath looked like an Aardman character, especially in his old age?

[danielisaak]

I love this channel! Please do Rishi next! His rise in politics was so meteoric and unconventional. He was a prime minister via default.

[Touhou-forever]

As a Irish citizen although I really don't like the Tories in general I have a lot of respect for Edward Heath he bought Britain into the ECC/EU I have doubt if he was still alive today he would be absolutely furious with Briexit Health wasn't a perfect Prime Minister but I do think that he is very underrated Prime Minister

[kb]

Cannot imagine any PM surviving the 3 day week. Seems an insane tactic.

[AlienatedNortherner]

He was allegedly a nonce, implicated in some very, very serious stuff. A truly loathsome individual.

[Bradley-fy]

He was also friends! With jimmy savile, rolf Harris and the like, draw your own conclusions

[giannb]

Better than Thatcher and Blair, not as good as Wilson or Macmillan. Europe is a complex issue. Brexit has shown that Britain can't go it alone, but, sadly, the EU can't escape being economically subjugated by Germany. The euro was Mitterrand's idea to rein in German economic power, but it ended up fuelling it.

[filipborufka]

Hello, are you going to make a video about the 2016 brexit referendum? I would really appreciate it

[steveanalyst]

The talk of sovereignty was on both sides, and the accusations against Heath for "hiding" the loss of sovereignty come from one out of context quote and one modified quote. We are told in the UK, and millions believe, that the UK public's understanding of sovereignty comes from 2 quotes over 14 years of debate.

[Bradley-fy]

He also received £75000 from the common market for STATESMANSHIP!! What a joke that was

[timothynoble]

The only thing sailor Ted did in his ENTIRE time in office was to save Rolls Royce from possibe bancrupcy or seeing Rolls taken over by an American aerospace it had been Maggie Thatcher then certainly she would have let Rolls go across the pond or under American control.

[kb]

How times change. Left wanting out of Europe and right wanting in!

[watty]

It's an interesting conclusion you draw that Ted Heath was the last truly one nation conservative leader, would you not consider John Major to also be a one nation conservative?

[sunny]

Make one on Rishi! I think he did the best he could given the circumstances in which he became PM