On 27th July 1965 Edward Heath became leader of the Conservative Party and so began the period when he and Harold Wilson alternated occupancy of 10, Downing Street. Although these two party leaders certainly didn’t have the stature of Gladstone and Disraeli it is just about the last time in British politics when the two party leaders were almost evenly matched and this generated an interest in politics that has been sadly lacking since. Probably the best thing about Heath and Wilson was the Mike Yarwood show!
Around about 1970, to my eternal shame, I even joined the Young Conservatives but I like to think that I quickly came to my senses and I didn’t renew my subscription when it ran out at the end of the first year.
Since that time I have had a complete disregard for politics and politicians but like everyone else has had to suffer a succession of greedy and incompetent prime ministers none of whom have contributed anything of value to our society. Thatcher destroyed our industrial power base to transfer false wealth to her husband and other Tory cronies, Blair lied his way through ten years of power, Brown will probably go down in history as Britain’s worst ever Prime Minister and Cameron is currently setting about destroying the public sector and its services whilst lining the pockets of the bankers and his private sector pals.
I’ve forgotten one of course, John Major, he was ok – he liked cricket!
Age of Innocence 