Edward Heath

Edward Heath (1916-2005), British prime minister (1970-1974), who is primarily remembered for overseeing the United Kingdom's admission to the European Community (now the European Union).

Edward Richard George Heath was born in Broadstairs, England, and educated at the University of Oxford. After serving in the army during World War II (1939-1945), Heath worked in the ministry of civil aviation and in a London banking firm.

Heath was elected to the House of Commons in 1950 as a member of the Conservative Party from Bexley, a suburb of London. He became assistant party whip in 1952 and then chief party whip three years later. He also served as minister of labor (1959-1960), lord privy seal (1960-1963), and president of the board of trade (1963-1964). During this time he worked on the initiative to bring Britain into the European Economic Community (a precursor to the European Community), but the efforts were unsuccessful.

Heath was elected leader of the Conservatives in 1965; when the party came to power in 1970 he became prime minister. Despite considerable resistance within the country toward joining the European Community, Heath was able to achieve this goal when Parliament approved the ratification treaty in October 1972.

When his party was defeated in 1974 Heath resigned as prime minister, and one year later he lost his post as party leader to Margaret Thatcher. He held no posts in subsequent Conservative cabinets but retained his seat in Parliament until his retirement in 2001.