Junior ministerial offices

Minister of State for Aerospace and Shipping
In office 24 March 1972 – 4 March 1974
Prime Minister	Edward Heath
Preceded by	Frederick Corfield
Succeeded by	Stanley Clinton Davis
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment
In office 15 October 1970 – 7 April 1972
Prime Minister	Edward Heath
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Reginald Eyre
Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport
In office 24 June 1970 – 15 October 1970
Prime Minister	Edward Heath
Preceded by	Albert Murray
Succeeded by	Office abolished

Shadow Cabinet portfolios

Deputy Leader of the Opposition
In office 2 May 1997 – 19 June 1997
Leader	John Major
Preceded by	John Prescott
Succeeded by	William Hague
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office 2 May 1997 – 19 June 1997
Leader	John Major
Preceded by	Derek Foster
Succeeded by	Gillian Shephard
Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
In office 2 May 1997 – 11 June 1997
Leader	John Major
Preceded by	Margaret Beckett
Succeeded by	John Redwood
Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment
In office 19 November 1976 – 4 May 1979
Leader	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Timothy Raison
Succeeded by	Peter Shore
Shadow Secretary of State for Industry
In office 11 March 1974 – 19 November 1976
Leader	Edward Heath Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	John Biffen

Parliamentary offices

Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Life peerage 23 October 2001
Member of Parliament for Henley
In office 28 February 1974 – 14 May 2001
Preceded by	John Hay
Succeeded by	Boris Johnson
Member of Parliament for Tavistock
In office 31 March 1966 – 8 February 1974
Preceded by	Henry Studholme
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished

Personal details

Born

Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine

21 March 1933 (age 92)
Swansea, Wales

Political party

Conservative

Spouse

Anne Williams

(m. 1962)

Children

3, including Annabel

Alma mater

Pembroke College, Oxford

Signature

Military service

Allegiance

United Kingdom

Branch/service

British Army

Years of service

1959

Rank

Second lieutenant

Unit

Welsh Guards

Michael Heseltine, born on 21 March 1933, is a well-known British politician. He started his career in business, developing properties and co-founding the publishing company Haymarket. Heseltine was a Conservative MP from 1966 to 2001.

He played a big role in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major. He served as Deputy Prime Minister under John Major from 1995 to 1997.

Heseltine joined the government's top team, the Cabinet, in 1979. He became Secretary of State for the Environment, where he helped people buy their council houses through the "Right to Buy" campaign. He was known for being good at speaking to the media and was a lively minister.

From 1983 to 1986, he was Secretary of State for Defence. He worked hard against the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, which wanted Britain to get rid of its nuclear weapons. He left the Cabinet in 1986 because of a disagreement about a company called Westland helicopters.

After leaving the Cabinet, he became a strong critic of Margaret Thatcher. He disagreed with her views on Europe and her style of leadership. In 1990, he challenged Thatcher for the leadership of the Conservative Party. She resigned after the first vote, and Heseltine lost to John Major in the next round. He then returned to the Cabinet as Environment Secretary.

Under John Major, Heseltine became President of the Board of Trade and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in 1992. He supported Major when his leadership was challenged in 1995. In return, he was promoted to Deputy Prime Minister. After the Conservatives lost the 1997 election, he did not try to become party leader.

In 2001, Heseltine became a life peer in the House of Lords. He has continued to speak out on political issues, especially against Brexit. In 2019, he was temporarily suspended from the Conservative Party for saying he would vote for the Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament election. His party membership was restored in 2024.

Early Life and Education

Michael Heseltine was born in Swansea, Wales, on 21 March 1933. His father, Rupert Dibdin Heseltine, was a factory owner and served in the Territorial Army during the Second World War. His family had a history in the tea trade.

He grew up in a comfortable home. He attended several schools, including Bromsgrove School and Shrewsbury School.

Time at Oxford University

Heseltine went to Pembroke College, Oxford. While there, he showed his ambition by founding a club when he couldn't get elected to a committee. He worked hard to become a good public speaker, even though it didn't come naturally to him. He practiced speeches in front of a mirror and took voice lessons.

He became the President of the Oxford Union in 1954. This was a big achievement for a student. He focused on improving the Union's finances and making it more appealing to students.

Starting a Business Career

After university, Heseltine started training as an accountant in 1955. At the same time, he began a property business in London. He bought and renovated properties with a friend, selling them for a profit.

In 1957, he started a publishing company called Cornmarket with another friend, Clive Labovitch. They published guides like Opportunities for Graduates, which made money from advertising.

Military Service

Heseltine was called up for National Service in January 1959. He joined the Welsh Guards. He became a second lieutenant in June 1959. He was later allowed to leave early to focus on his business.

Growing Haymarket Publishing

Heseltine's businesses faced challenges in the early 1960s, and he owed a lot of money. However, he managed to overcome these difficulties.

In 1964, Cornmarket merged with another company to form Haymarket. Heseltine persuaded the printers to take a share in the new business instead of payment. Haymarket grew by buying other magazines.

They launched successful magazines like Management Today, Campaign (about advertising), and Accountancy Age. These magazines became very profitable. Heseltine remained involved in Haymarket even after becoming an MP in 1966. He stepped down as managing director in 1969 and from the board in 1970 when he became a minister.

In 1970, Heseltine and his partners bought out the printer's share of Haymarket. This gave Heseltine and his family more than 50% control of the company. Haymarket continued to grow and make large profits.

After his time as a Cabinet minister ended in 1997, Heseltine returned to managing Haymarket. His son Rupert now runs the company. Heseltine's ownership of Haymarket has made him very wealthy.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Heseltine first tried to become an MP in 1959 and 1964, but he lost both times.

In 1965, he was chosen to be the Conservative candidate for Tavistock in Devon. He worked very hard to win the seat. In the March 1966 general election, he was elected as the MP for Tavistock.

In 1974, his constituency was changed, and he became the MP for Henley. He held this seat until he retired from the House of Commons in 2001.

Working in Government (1966–1974)

Heseltine became a spokesman for the opposition on transport in 1967. He worked hard to oppose the government's transport plans.

In 1970, he became a junior minister in the government of Prime Minister Edward Heath. He worked in the Department of Transport and later the Department for the Environment. He was involved in changing how local government worked.

In 1972, he was promoted to Minister for Aerospace. One of his main tasks was to help sell the Concorde plane. He worked hard to promote it around the world, but not many were sold due to high costs. During this time, he earned the nickname "Tarzan" because of his energetic style.

Under Margaret Thatcher (1975–1986)

After the Conservatives lost the 1974 election, Heseltine became a spokesman for Industry in the opposition. He was known for his strong speeches.

In 1976, he became the Shadow Environment Secretary. He focused on policies like selling council houses.

Secretary of State for the Environment (1979–1983)

When Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister in 1979, Heseltine became the Secretary of State for the Environment. He was very organized and introduced a system called "MINIS" to track how the department was performing. He cut staff numbers in his department.

His most famous policy was "Right to Buy". This allowed people living in council houses to buy their homes at a discount. This policy helped many people become homeowners and was a big social change.

Heseltine also dealt with financial issues in local government. He tried to control spending by councils. He also helped set up the Audit Commission to oversee council activities.

In 1981, after riots in cities like Toxteth in Liverpool, Heseltine was sent to help. He spent a lot of time in Liverpool, working to bring in investment and improve the area. He helped set up the National Garden Festival in Liverpool in 1984 to help regenerate the city.

Secretary of State for Defence (1983–1986)

In 1983, Heseltine became Secretary of State for Defence. A major part of his job was to campaign against the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). He argued that Britain needed nuclear weapons for its safety.

He also worked to make the Ministry of Defence more efficient. He merged some parts of the armed services to improve coordination.

The Westland Affair and Resignation

In 1985, a disagreement arose over the future of Westland helicopters, a British company. Heseltine wanted Westland to join a European group of companies. Prime Minister Thatcher and others preferred an American deal.

This led to a big argument within the government. Heseltine felt that Thatcher was not allowing open discussion. In January 1986, he walked out of a Cabinet meeting and announced his resignation. This was a very public and dramatic event.

Out of Office (1986–1990)

After resigning, Heseltine continued to be a prominent figure. He traveled around the country, speaking to local Conservative groups. He also wrote books, including Where There's A Will, which outlined his political ideas.

He disagreed with the government's plan for a new local tax called the Poll Tax. He also strongly supported closer ties with Europe.

Challenging Margaret Thatcher

In November 1990, after a key minister resigned and criticized Thatcher, Heseltine decided to challenge her for the leadership of the Conservative Party. In the first vote, he received enough votes to prevent Thatcher from winning outright.

Thatcher then decided to resign as Prime Minister. In the next round of voting, Heseltine lost to John Major.

Under John Major (1990–1997)

Environment Secretary Again (1990–1992)

John Major appointed Heseltine as Environment Secretary again. His main task was to reform the unpopular Poll Tax. The Poll Tax was eventually replaced by the Council Tax, which was based on property value.

He also worked on plans for elected city mayors and changes to local councils.

President of the Board of Trade (1992–1995)

Heseltine in 1994

After the 1992 election, Heseltine became Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, using the old title of "President of the Board of Trade". He wanted to help British companies succeed.

In 1992, he announced the closure of many coal mines, which led to public anger and protests. The High Court later ruled that the government had acted unlawfully in some aspects of the closures.

In June 1993, Heseltine suffered a heart attack and took time off to recover.

Deputy Prime Minister (1995–1997)

In 1995, John Major faced a challenge to his leadership. Heseltine remained loyal to Major. After Major won, he promoted Heseltine to Deputy Prime Minister.

In this role, Heseltine had a lot of influence. He chaired several important government committees. He also played a key role in planning the Millennium Exhibition in Greenwich.

Retirement and Later Views

Lord Heseltine, June 2010.

Heseltine retired from being an MP in 2001. He was then made a life peer in the House of Lords, becoming Baron Heseltine.

He has continued to be outspoken on political issues. He supported David Cameron for Conservative leader in 2005. He also led a review of the UK's industrial performance.

Views on Brexit

Heseltine strongly disagreed with the decision to leave the European Union in the 2016 Brexit referendum. He called it a "constitutional crisis." He believes Britain's future is best served by being part of Europe.

He has criticized the way Brexit was handled and has called for a second public vote on the issue. In 2019, he was temporarily suspended from the Conservative Party for saying he would vote for the Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament election, because of his strong views on Brexit.

Family and Personal Life

Heseltine married Anne Harding Williams in 1962. They have three children, Annabel, Alexandra, and Rupert, and nine grandchildren.

In 2017, he was found guilty of careless driving after an incident involving a cyclist.

Thenford Gardens and Arboretum

The Heseltines bought Thenford House and its large grounds in 1976. Over many years, they have created a beautiful garden and arboretum (a collection of trees).

The arboretum covers over 70 acres and has more than 3,000 different types of trees and shrubs. Their garden has been featured on television and is open to the public by appointment.

Images for kids

Michael Heseltine's signature

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