Edward Heath

Last weekend I asked the former Chair of Conservative Future whether he would be going to Edward Heath’s funeral. He had not heard the news that Heath was died, and exclaimed “Is he finally dead?” and in response to my affirmation literally jumped in the air for joy.

Rather bad taste, but seemed to be a general reaction from the party he once led, where his nickname was “The Incredible Sulk” in reference to having never got over losing the leadership to Margaret Thatcher.

Andrew Sullivan talks about the lack of references to Heath being assumed to be gay. Ann Coulter hilariously summarises Sullivan’s post as “Elderly Gay Man Dies; Was Also Prime Minister”.

Lord Archer is quoted as noting that the Tories, for all the criticism for their lack of diversity, supplied the UK with its first Jewish PM, its first bachelor (code for gay) PM and the the first female PM.