Page "Edward Heath" Paragraph 16

In February 1951, Heath was appointed as an Opposition Whip by Winston Churchill.

He remained in the Whip's Office after the Conservatives won the 1951 general election, rising rapidly to Joint Deputy Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip and, in December 1955, Government Chief Whip under Anthony Eden.

Because of the convention that Whips do not speak in Parliament, Heath managed to keep out of the controversy over the Suez Crisis.

On the announcement of Eden's resignation, Heath submitted a report on the opinions of the Conservative MPs regarding Eden's possible successors.

This report favoured Harold Macmillan and was instrumental in eventually securing Macmillan the premiership in January 1957.

Macmillan later appointed Heath Minister of Labour, a Cabinet Minister-as Chief Whip Heath had attended Cabinet but had not been formally a member-after winning the October 1959 election.