Edward Heath

THE tributes spoke of his integrity, his long service and the strength of his convictions. Many of his fellow Conservatives were especially keen to emphasise his love of music and sailing. Unspoken, at least for a few hours after his death, were the thoughts uppermost in many minds: his general grumpiness, his undisguised bitterness and in particular his loathing for “that woman”—in this context the person who replaced him as party leader, Margaret Thatcher. And, just as difficult for many of today's Tories to stomach, there was also his unqualified loyalty to Europe. This was the man who had taken Britain into what is now the European Union, and had never had the grace to apologise.