Edward Heath: The Authorised Biography

by Philip Ziegler

The masterly official biography of Britain's former prime minister, which captures all the political drama of the 1970s, so relevant for the present day Distinguished biographer Philip Ziegler offers a timely reassessment of Edward Heath's remarkable political career. With exclusive access to personal papers unavailable to previous biographers he presents the first fully rounded portrait of our most enigmatic former prime minister. Beginning with Heath's early years - his childhood in Kent, student days in pre-war Oxford, wartime military service and short business career - Ziegler goes on to chart Heath's effortless rise through the ranks of the Conservative Party. He brilliantly captures Heath's rivalry with Harold Wilson and the supreme drama of 1974 - the year of two elections and a hung parliament - with its uncanny parallels for our own times.

Politics consumed Heath's life but he found time for other pursuits, becoming an accomplished conductor and an internationally successful yachtsman. The book explores Heath's endlessly fascinating personality and casts fresh light on the financial affairs and private life of this most complex of political leaders. Heath's later years were blighted by the 'long sulk', as he failed to come to terms with losing the leadership to Margaret Thatcher. But this should not disguise his considerable achievements. He helped to transform the Conservative Party, and by securing Britain's historic entry into Europe, the high point of his career, he arguably changed the lives of the British people more fundamentally than any prime minister since Winston Churchill.

Genres: Politics, Biography, Nonfiction, History

654 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 2010

About the author

Philip Ziegler was a British biographer and historian known for his meticulously researched works on historical figures and events. After studying at Eton and New College, Oxford, he served in the British Foreign Service, with postings in Laos, South Africa, Colombia, and NATO. He later transitioned into publishing and writing, eventually becoming a distinguished biographer.
His notable works include Mountbatten: The Official Biography, Edward VIII: The Official Biography, and The Black Death. He also wrote about figures such as Lord Melbourne, Harold Wilson, and George VI. Over the years, Ziegler contributed to major publications like The Spectator, The Times, and History Today.
His personal life was marked by tragedy when his first wife was killed during a home invasion in Bogotá in 1967. He later remarried and continued his literary career until his passing in 2023 at the age of 93.

Reviews

[David Highton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good biography of an interesting man - covers the ground and gives an insight into his character but without an overly intensive academic approach, so quite readable

[Reza Amiri Praramadhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading a wonderful biography on Enoch Powell, I jumped right onto reading a biography of his arch-nemesis, Ted Heath. Sir Edward Richard George Heath, or Ted Heath, was a Conservative Prime Minister of United Kingdom, from 1970 to 1974, mostly known for campaigning and being elected on an image of technocratic modernity, being imagined as the CEO of Heathco, ltd., troubleshooting problems here and there with pragmatic precision, and ended his tenure as Prime Minister after humiliating election in which he asked the voters "who governs Britain?" while the voters answered that it was not him.

While in early life, he was similar to Powell. Coming from middle-class Background, socially awkward but possessing brilliant mind, they both served in World War II, Heath served in artillery division. However, politically, they are on opposing poles. While Powell is on the right, Heath belongs to the left wing of the Conservative Party, him being the darling of the Post-War consensus while Powell turning into a pariah. Heath advocated for policies that form the basis of Post-War consensus, namely, Full Employment and Welfare State. Other than that, Heath was a famous proponent of British entry into European Union as a counterbalance to American hegemony.

However, while I found Heath's political career mostly boring, I found his personality interesting. He was mostly known as unbelievably rude, deliberately or inadvertently. He had a knack for doing or saying wrong things at times, which is incredibly hilarious. This rudeness, coupled with his sense of self-righteousness, made a very interesting reading. His other interests such as (unexpectedly) sailing, classical music, book-writing, and lifelong bachelorship are also worthwhile to read. Like an elephant, Heath never forgets. This factors into his longest sulk in Parliament, sitting in backbench fuming and complaining while his successor, Margaret Thatcher dismantled Post-War Consensus, still sitting in parliament even when Thatcher being backstabbed and Conservative Party fell into infighting over European Union.

In the end, I enjoyed reading this book. I don't really lean into him, mostly politically, but I thoroughly enjoy reading his personal life, and take particular enjoyment on imagining him uttering "rubbish!" or "nonsense!" on his faux-upper class, unique inflection.