I'm a bit too young to remember his premiership.
From what I've read he harked back to a time when the conservatives were a one nation party with a paternalistic attitude and tried to improve the lives of all the people (as they saw it).
So now just 2 surviving ex-PMs (Thatcher and Major).
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He was the last Tory PM to believe in talking to the unions, though I think this made him appear like a soft touch, and they gave him a terrible time (3 day week etc). It created a bit of a mess that Thatcher was delighted to sweep up. I suspect this was one of the reasons he hated her so much, along with their very polarise dviews on Europe.
I was a kid when he was PM, but I remember him being more respected than loved. I wouldn't say anything bad about him at this time though. He was a major figure, and I respect the fact that he believed in partnership rather than confrontation.
During the 3 day week when electricity kept going off I built a fantastic doll's house out of 4 shoe boxes, even made the furniture - all by torch light.
It gave me hours of endless fun.
So thank you Edward, RIP.
he was a good man
whatever his politics
RIP
xxxxxxx
A bit too young to remember much about him, but from what i can understand he was essentially a good bloke who struggled with the media.
RIP
Couldn't beat the unions though and I remember the power cuts.
We used to love them - torches, candles - brilliant.
You're right about the musical talent though - he was a really good pianist.
Much more complex and interesting individual than other cons leaders of recent times.
It does make me feel old though, especially as Callaghan popped his clogs not that long ago too.
he was not supposed to be an easy man on a personal level, but he took us into "Europe" (bizarre notion - where we we before - Asia?) so well done him for that.
Something of a protean, certainly erudite and multi-skilled as a man. A minor visionary and possessed of a not insubstantial intellect. That said, also incredibly arrogant and personally disliked by many, possibly most, who knew him (save for his personal friends) which probably cost him both early, and late, in his political career. I make those observations on an informed basis, by the way.
Other than those of the crocodile variety, I suspect relatively few tears are being shed today. Which is something of a pity as usually a talentless politician is over-rated for having a good personality, where here a reasonably talented individual may end up -- in the short term -- being under-rated for having a rather unappealing (or unforgiving) character.
Though I did have to laugh when he was being interviewed and asked if it was true that on learning that she had been toppled he said "rejoice, rejoice".
"Are you sure?" he said "I thought it was rejoice, rejoice, rejoice"
The sad thing was as two great meritocrats they had a hell of a lot in common. They could have (should have) made a formidable partnership.
Thatcher and Heath a great partnership? I couldn't disagree more.
She hated unions, he negotiated with them.
She said there's no such thing as society, he was the essential one-nation Tory.
She culled the wets from her first cabinet. He made Pymm look right-wing.
He never struck me as an especially sharp operator. But then, how many politicians pre-Thatcher were?
1. He had a courage to call a referendum on joining the EEC, unlike anyone since
2. Whatever your views on subsequent political developments, the basic idea of the EEC (i.e. an economic area) was a big step forward. When I first worked abroad (in Austria) I needed a flipping visa, a police check and a lung x-ray to show I didn't have tuberculosis, for heaven's sake. You couldn't leave France with more than £200 cash, and you couldn't bring more than 5 bottles of wine back.