Michael Shrimpton - Ted Heath sexually abused boys, who were then murdered to ensure their silence

Edward Heath 'child sex abuse' allegation: Rumours always swirled about his sexuality - I’m sure that’s all they were As an unmarried man, there were always rumours about his sexuality at a time when homosexuality was inadmissible, even when no longer illegal

In the current climate of suspicion about the sexual activities of all sorts of public figures of the past 30 years, and particularly politicians, it was practically inevitable that Ted Heath’s name would come up sooner or later.

As an unmarried man, there were always rumours about his sexuality at a time when homosexuality was inadmissible, even when no longer illegal.

When I told people I was writing his biography in the late-Eighties, the one question I was constantly asked was, “Is he gay?” My answer was always that there was absolutely no evidence that he was, in any active way, and from my reading of his character I thought it unlikely.

If he had any inclinations that way he would have repressed them; he was too self-controlled and self-contained to do anything that would have risked his career.

In spite of periodic scurrilous attempts to suggest otherwise, I still believe that to be the case; and I was pleased to see that Michael Bloch’s recent book Closet Queens – exposing the secret lives of a whole gallery of gay politicians of the last century – takes the same view.

There simply is not a shred of evidence, and at present it does not appear that there is any substance to the latest allegation.   Loading galleryEdward Heath - Life in pictures1 of 15PrevNextEdward HeathLeader of the British Conservative Party Edward Heath tours his constituency during the general election campaign, 1966 Getty Images

Of course, child abuse is an entirely different matter from homosexuality; in the current climate, all allegations have to be investigated.

But I would think it equally unlikely – if only because, unlike Jimmy Savile or Cyril Smith, Heath had little opportunity for contact with children.

My understanding at the moment is that this is an investigation into why the police did not investigate it at the time – in other words an investigation into the police handling of the allegation, rather than of the allegation itself.

What the media are hoping for is evidence of a cover-up. But if, as we are told, the story originated with someone already in custody, the police may well have dismissed it as a malicious fantasy dreamed up to protect himself.

It is not unknown for disturbed individuals to make wild allegations against famous people, so they may well have been right to take it no further; and unless or until there is some supporting evidence, it should be treated with the same scepticism today.

Read more:
Edward Heath 'child sex abuse claims': Full statement by the IPCC
Edward Health 'child sex claims': Wiltshire Police statement in fullIt is a distasteful consequence of recent scandals that we have become all too ready to believe anything of anyone. Unfortunately rumours of this sort tend to stick, whether there is any basis for them or not. They will stick to Ted Heath more easily than perhaps they would to others, just because there was always this prurient question mark against his sexuality.

We find it difficult to believe that anyone can be genuinely asexual. But I think Heath probably was such an individual; and most of his friends and colleagues to whom I talked in researching my book agreed.

I expect and hope that this allegation will prove as baseless as the other whispers that have occasionally circulated in the past.

Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005), often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975.

Born in Kent, Heath studied at Oxford University and served in the Second World War. He was first elected to Parliament in 1950 for Bexley, and was the Chief Whip from 1955 to 1959. Entering the Cabinet as Minister of Labour in 1959, he was later promoted to Lord Privy Seal and later became President of the Board of Trade. In 1965, Heath was elected leader of the Conservative Party, retaining that position despite losing the 1966 election.

Heath became Prime Minister after winning the 1970 election. In 1971 he oversaw the decimalisation of British coinage and in 1972, he reformed Britain's system of local government, reducing the number of local authorities and creating a number of new metropolitan counties. Possibly most significantly, he took Britain into the European Economic Community in 1973. Heath's Premiership also oversaw the height of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, with the suspension of the Stormont Parliament and the imposition of direct British rule. Unofficial talks with Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) delegates were unsuccessful, as was the Sunningdale  Agreement of 1973, which caused the Ulster Unionist Party to withdraw from the Conservative whip.

Heath also tried to curb the trade unions with the Industrial Relations Act 1971, and had hoped to deregulate the economy and make a transfer from direct to indirect taxation. However, rising unemployment in 1972 caused Heath to reflate the economy, attempting to control the resulting high inflation by a prices and incomes policy. Two miners' strikes, in 1972 and at the start of 1974, damaged the government, the latter causing the implementation of the Three-Day Week to conserve energy. Heath eventually called an election for February 1974 to obtain a mandate to face down the miners' wage demands, but this instead resulted in a hung parliament in which Labour, despite winning fewer votes, had four more seats than the Tories. Heath resigned as Prime Minister after trying in vain to form a coalition with the Liberal Party.

Despite losing a second general election in October that year, Heath vowed to continue as leader of his party. In February 1975, however, his former Education Secretary Margaret Thatcher challenged and defeated Heath to win the leadership. Returning to the backbenches, Heath became an active critic of Thatcher's policies as leader and, from 1979, as Prime Minister. He remained a backbench MP until retiring in 2001, serving as the Father of the House for his last nine years in Parliament. Outside of politics, Heath was a world-class yachtsman and a musician of near-professional standard. He was also one of only four British Prime Ministers never to have married. He is now being investigated by the police on suspicion of multiple counts of child sexual abuse.

Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005), often known as Ted Heath, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975.