PROMINENT anti-Brexit campaigner and former deputy Prime Minister Lord Michael Heseltine was the guest of honour at the Worcestershire branch of the Oxford Union Society’s annual launch.
Having begun his career as a property developer, he became one of the founders of the publishing house Haymarket.
Heseltine served as a Conservative MP from 1966 to 2001 and was a prominent figure in the governments of Baroness Margaret Thatcher and Sir John Major and served as Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State under Major.
In May 2019, Heseltine had the Conservative whip suspended after saying he would vote for the Liberal Democrats, rather than the Conservatives at the 2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom.
Speaking to members on Saturday (November 13) at Stanbrook Abbey he discussed why, from very early on, he came to be so supportive of closer European co-operation and the EU.
His talk ‘Reflections on My Life’ also cited his work in Government developing the Space Agency; his work on defence having witnessed the dangers of CND and one-sided disarmament; and the economic need to be part of a bigger world economic bloc as de-industrialization was changing the face and future of the British economy.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the prominent anti Brexiteer shared his view attempts would be made to rejoin the EU in the next few years.
He also discussed how he transformed Liverpool out of decline where he is now a Freeman of the City.
Coun Alan Amos, chairman of the Oxford University Society, organised the event and hailed the visit from Lord Heseltine.
“As somebody who worked with him in the House of Commons, I have no doubt that Lord Heseltine is easily the greatest Prime Minister we never had,” Coun Amos said.
“Had he become Prime Minister, the UK would be a very different and much better place.
“Few politicians actually, in the end, make any difference, but he is one of the few who certainly did. His career was one of true achievement.”
