note in your recent issue volt are all ening over
the question as to 'why the Tories lost so decisively' or 'why Ted Heath did not click.'
Well, when the Tories were in power. Mr Heath was a fervent fighter and crusader for the passing of two Acts which have virtually ruined the small man, because Mr Heath applied these Acts only to his own supporters, the small businessmen, but was afraid to apply them to the forces of the left, one example being the trade unions. These Acts were the Restrictive Practices Act and the Abolishment of Retail Price Maintenance Act. Even though Mr Heath was bombarded with appeals, protests, and threats from his own supporters not to bring these Acts in, he obstinately carried on and virtually smashed the small businessman.
Oh, yes, we know there are hundreds of small businesses still happily working away, but they are declining fast, and with them, a formidable number of solid Tory cohorts, for each of the small business- men had families and I reckon that when a small businessman stopped voting Tory he carried at least five of his family with him.
The small man, forced out of business by steam- roller methods aided by our one-time friend, Mr Edward Heath, and his Tories, now realises that it is best to cut his losses and jump on to the Labour bandwagon—and that is what a lot of them I know personally have done. As one of them said to me after he had closed his shop for good—it's best now to vote for the party who will give him the best National Assistance rates!
When you hold your post-mortems, don't forget to bring into consideration the death-blows the Tories gave to their own supporters, and also to themselves. Heath dismayed his friends and potential supporters but did nothing to help them by tackling anything to dismay the other side. I know hundreds of small businessmen who will never vote Tory again whilst the Leader is Mr Edward Heath.
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