Heath's Premiership (1970-1974)

Question 1

Heath’s Strengths

Answer 1

• Leader of Conservative Party for 5 years
• Educated at a state grammar school (strength for the public)
• Good at political policies
• Contrast to Wilson, not seen as devious, not interested in plots or intrigues
• Good at developing detailed policies, especially on industrial relations and economic modernisation, aware of EEC issues being chief negotiator from 1961-1963

Question 2

Heath’s Weaknesses

Answer 2

• Not Grouse-Moor Tory (weakness for Conservatives), didn’t attend Eton/Oxbridge, not part of the Establishment
• Often perceived as stiff and prickly when dealing with people
• Lacked Wilson’s natural charisma/warmth with people
• Struggle to connect with voters/public
• Regarded as ‘too honest for his own good’
• Not skilful enough in pleasing political allies
• Unable to win over doubters in his own party
• Not good at schmoozing Conservative backbenchers

Question 3

The Rise of Margaret Thatcher

Answer 3

• Served as Education Secretary (1970-1974)
• Emerges after Heath’s loss in 1974 as Heath’s main challenger
• Policies known as Thatcherism
• Outright rejected the post-war consensus
• Believed in neoliberal policies of monetarism, free-market economics (privatisation and deregulation)
• Many who supported her did so because there was nobody else, Powell left Conservative Party, Keith Joseph made controversial speech
• Thatcher exploited the feeling that things were going badly with Heath running the country

Question 4

One-Nation Conservatism vs Thatcherism

Answer 4

One-Nation Conservatism: acceptance of the post-war consensus, Heath was the last Conservative PM to uphold this belief

Thatcherism: rejection of the post-war consensus, introduced in 1975, opposes every factor of the post-war consensus, e.g. deregulation, weak trade unions, minimal welfare state