Edward Heath: Leadership Competence and Capability

The aim of this chapter is to reassess Edward Heath from a leadership competence and capability perspective. The chapter utilises a modified version of Stephen Skowronek’s account of leadership in ‘political time’ to the evaluation of Heath as Prime Minister. It is conducted via the following approach. First, by drawing upon his speeches as Leader of the Opposition between 1965 and 1970, the chapter identifies Heath as an affiliate of the political regime he inherited after the General Election of 1970. Second, by drawing upon archival research in the National Archives, the chapter characterises the regime difficulties Heath encountered in office, paying close attention to problems of economic management, worsening industrial relations, electoral dealignment, the fracturing of the party system and growing anti-immigration sentiment. Third, the chapter concludes that Heath is best characterised as a ‘disjunctive’ leader. We conclude by offering an evaluation of the performance of Heath as Prime Minister, which recognises the challenges he was confronting, and strategies available to him and disjunctive leaders in general, and the unique circumstances of the Heath government in particular. [183].