Yesterday was the anniversary of traitor, liar, EEC-sellout and infamous cottager Edward Heath calling a snap election in 1974.

Alistair Cooke has written a very good article about what life was like in those hard times. Documenting the run-up to the election it serves as a bit of a reminder to us of how things changed either side of that historic vote.

Especially enjoy his second paragraph:

“To conserve vital stocks, Ted Heath’s Government put industry on a three-day week from 1 January 1974. There was no legislation: industry simply did as it was told in that very different period in our history. Under the Government’s restrictions, a 50 m.p.h.speed limit was imposed on motorists. Television closed down at 10.30 p.m. A junior minister (subsequently a member of Margaret Thatcher’s Cabinet) earned instant notoriety by advising people to clean their teeth in the dark.”

The picture, by the way, is of his old yacht “Morning Cloud”. TheEye couldn’t find an insulting picture of Heath.