Ex-PMs gather for Heath funeral

[emad]

Ex-prime ministers Baroness Thatcher and Sir John Major are among prominent politicians attending the funeral of Sir Edward Heath.
MPs, peers and other dignitaries are paying their last respects at the service in Salisbury Cathedral.

Sir Edward, prime minister from 1970 to 1974, is best remembered for taking Britain into the EEC.

Sir John said of Sir Edward: "He was a man of very strong convictions even though they were sometimes unpopular."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4713911.stm

[emad]

1. Heath grew rich on insider deals: Sunday Times 24 July

Heath grew rich on insider deals
JON UNGOED-THOMAS



SIR Edward Heath, who once famously attacked the “unacceptable face of capitalism”, accumulated part of his wealth from an elaborate insider dealing operation.

A previously unpublished letter shows his involvement in a scheme that enriched privileged investors at the expense of public shareholders. He used a secret nominee account for the transactions, which would be illegal today.

Heath, who died last Sunday, enjoyed an affluent lifestyle, with homes in Mayfair and Salisbury. The source of his wealth has been the subject of speculation dating back to 1969 when he first bought Morning Cloud, an expensive racing yacht.

New details have now emerged of how Heath enjoyed a return of up to 65% on short-term investments using inside information from a leading City firm. A letter on Commons paper to a financier shows his involvement in the scheme.

In the letter dated February 12 1969, Heath, then leader of the opposition, reveals he was “anxious” to discuss his investments with Jim Slater, one of the key financiers of the time. It names a company, Oriental Carpet Manufacturers, in which Heath’s money was subsequently invested using inside information.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-1706095,00.html

[Taxloss]

2. The dead cannot be libelled.

I wonder how long they sat on that.

[JoFerret]

4. He was a notorious freeloader

.

[sweetheart]

3. Do they celibrate his homosexuality?

He was a great conservative homosexual.
He was a great conservative who believed in europe.

Is this the funeral of conservative greatness?... seems so.