Was Heath unlucky as prime minister?

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Edward Heath has generally not been judged kindly as a prime minister. Edward's Heath government, 1970 - 74 was a turbulent one. The aim to reduce government's involvement in the economy began to lose focus when Rolls Royce ran into difficulties in its aero engine operation, and had to be bailed out with government money. After this Heath's administration increasingly became one of intervention. This change of policy seemed essential with the rapid rise of unemployment, which climbed to over one million in 1972. Then war in the Middle East in 1973, pushing oil prices up dramatically, had a severe impact on the economy, and persuaded the government of the need for yet more intervention. Efforts to hold back pay rises to control inflation led to huge conflicts with unions, particularly miners' unions.

However with all his failures Heath successfully achieved his dream of entry into the European Union in January 1974, but this triumph was barely noticeable in the gathering economic crisis. The miners were asking for a pay increase which the government said could not be afforded, and in January 1974 the ensuing dispute led to a three day week, to conserve coal stocks at power stations. Neither side would back down. But Heath was losing support and morale with the public and his own cabinet members which led him to appease the miners. This was more of a shock as they were given a 30% pay rise rather than the 10% wanted by the miners. This famous U-turn could be argued to be one of Heaths biggest failures. Eventually Heath was forced to succumb to growing calls call an election for February 1974. In his campaign the prime minister resolutely refused to portray the miners as the enemy, feeling that reconciliation was the only way forward. This approach arguably cost him the election.  We can thus see that it can be argued that Heath was not a very successful prime minister. Although he effectively was the first prime minister to secure a place in the European community which Harold Wilson (who was loved much more by the general majority of the British public) failed to do on two occasions.

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Heath was like Wilson a man with a humble upbringing a striking contrast to the previous Cons leaders of the era. Little publicity was given to his background where as his opposite within Labour Harold Wilson seemed to be idolised for it, this is because people did not admire Heath as much as his achievements were limited during his period in office. The Heath Government had pledged in 1970 to free the economy from State intervention or ‘Disengagement’. Many of Heaths Cons MP’s at the time were disappointed with Heath’s progress here and his increasing reliance on Keyenesian policies to ...

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