The former's windsurfing exploits were apparently "bad" for reasons I still can't fathom (though compared to the present race....) while the latter's competition in the Fastnet race was not a handicap in him reaching the highest political office in the land.
Today in the UK politicians are still open about their sailing and today did just that in full view of the public on the River Thames beside the Palace of Westminster.
It was a charity race between the House of Commons and the House of Lords, each competing in two person Enterprise dinghies, designed here in Putney 60 years ago. They were raising money for the Westminster Boating Base and Sail4Cancer.
Alas I was unable to witness this titanic political battle in person but the word on Twitter is that the Lords were victorious, hence their flag (from here) above.
Actually I think Ted Heath did attract some flak about this yachting habit. Perhaps because he was the first non-posh Conservative party leader (he went to a grammar school!!!) people did ask questions about how he could afford such fancy yachts. He pointed out he didn't own a house, but chose to own a yacht instead. But as you say it didn't prevent him becoming PM.
ReplyDeletePleased to see the present generation of UK politicians are competing in boats a little more plebeian.
As we all know that "there is nothing — absolute nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats".
ReplyDeleteIt is nice, then, to see politicians actually doing something worth doing, isn't it?
Also it wasn't a partisan event and didn't descend to the level of the in/out debate
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