Editing Edward Heath (section)

==Personal life==
===Private residence===
[[File:Edward Heath Allan Warren.jpg|thumb|upright|Heath in his Salisbury home, 1987]]
[[File:Sir Edward Heath - Arundells 59 Cathedral Close Salisbury SP1 2EN.jpg|thumb|Blue plaque located on the boundary wall of Arundells]]
In the 1960s, Heath had lived in [[Albany (London)|Albany]], off Piccadilly; at the unexpected end of his premiership, the French couple living there refused his demand that they move out so that he could have his flat back ("So much for European Unity!" Heath later wrote in his memoirs). For four months, Heath took the flat of Conservative MP [[Timothy Kitson]]; Kitson declined his offer to pay rent but later recalled an occasion when his own watch broke, and Heath in response invited him to take one of a large collection that he had been given on his travels. In July 1974, [[Robert Grosvenor, 5th Duke of Westminster|the Duke of Westminster]], a major London landowner and ardent Europhile, allowed Heath to rent a property in Wilton Street, Belgravia, for an annual rent of £1,250 (£{{formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|1250|1974}}}} at {{CURRENTYEAR}} prices),{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} a tenth of the market value. The house had three storeys and a basement flat for Heath's housekeeper, and he continued to use it as his London home until old age prevented him from climbing the stairs.<ref>Ziegler 2010, pp. 443–444.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/result.php |title=Five Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.K. Pound Amount |publisher=measuringworth.com |access-date=27 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331194822/https://measuringworth.com/ukcompare/result.php |archive-date=31 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In February 1985, Heath acquired a Wiltshire home, [[Arundells]], in the [[Cathedral close]] at [[Salisbury]], where he resided until his death twenty years later. In January 2006, it was announced that Heath had placed his house and contents, valued at £5&nbsp;million in his will, in a charitable foundation, the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation, to conserve the house as a museum to his career.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arundells.org/the-foundation/ |title=The Foundation |publisher=Arundells |access-date=4 September 2016}}</ref> The house is open to the public for guided tours from March to October; displayed therein is a large collection of personal effects as well as Heath's personal library, photo collections, and paintings by Winston Churchill.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arundells.org/ |title=Homepage |website=Arundells |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref>

In his will, Heath, who had no descendants, left only two legacies: £20,000 to his brother's widow, and £2,500 to his housekeeper.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4632094.stm |title=Former PM Heath left £5m in will |work=BBC News |date=20 January 2006 |access-date=20 April 2010}}</ref>

===Yachting===
Heath was a keen yachtsman. He bought his first yacht ''[[Morning Cloud]]'' in 1969 and won the [[Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race]] that year. He captained Britain's winning team for the [[Admiral's Cup]] in 1971<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rorc.org/admiralscup/history/1971/default.html |title=rorc.org: "Champagne Mumm Admiral's History – 1971" |access-date=27 October 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041027083822/http://www.rorc.org/admiralscup/history/1971/default.html |archive-date=27 October 2004 |url-status=dead }}</ref> – while prime minister – and also captained the team in the [[1979 Fastnet Race]]. He was a member of the Broadstairs Sailing Club, where he learnt to sail on a [[Snipe (dinghy)|Snipe]] and a [[Fireball (dinghy)|Fireball]] before moving on to success in larger boats.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadstairssailingclub.com/history.aspx|title=Broadstairs Sailing Club – History|website=www.broadstairssailingclub.com|access-date=5 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006012205/http://www.broadstairssailingclub.com/history.aspx|archive-date=6 October 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Classical music===
Heath maintained an interest in classical music as a pianist, organist and orchestral conductor, famously installing a [[Steinway]] grand in [[10 Downing Street|10&nbsp;Downing Street]] – bought with his £450 [[Charlemagne Prize]] money, awarded for his unsuccessful efforts to bring Britain into the EEC in 1963, and chosen on the advice of his friend, the pianist [[Moura Lympany]] – and conducting Christmas carol concerts in Broadstairs every year from his teens until old age.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a29894927/prime-minister-edward-heath-the-crown-facts/ | title=The True Story of Queen Elizabeth's Sixth Prime Minister, Edward Heath | date=8 December 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.shutterstock.com/editorial/image-editorial/sir-edward-heath%27s-steinway-grand-piano-manhandled-1382179a | title=Sir Edward Heaths Steinway Grand Piano Editorial Stock Photo – Stock Image }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://arundells.org/sir-edwardheath/ | title=Sir Edward Heath &#124; Arundells }}</ref>

Heath conducted the [[London Symphony Orchestra]], notably at a gala concert at the [[Royal Festival Hall]] in November 1971, at which he conducted [[Sir Edward Elgar]]'s overture ''[[Cockaigne (In London Town)]]''. He also conducted the [[Royal Liverpool Philharmonic]] and the [[English Chamber Orchestra]], as well as orchestras in Germany and the United States. During his premiership, Heath invited musician friends, such as [[Isaac Stern]], [[Yehudi Menuhin]], [[Clifford Curzon]] and the [[Amadeus Quartet]], to perform either at [[Chequers]] or 10 Downing Street. Heath was the founding President of the European Community Youth Orchestra (in 1976), now the [[European Union Youth Orchestra]].

In 1988, Heath recorded [[Beethoven]]'s [[Triple Concerto (Beethoven)|Triple Concerto, Op.&nbsp;56]] (with members of the Trio Zingara as soloists) and [[Luigi Boccherini|Boccherini's]] Cello Concerto in G major, G480.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.juneclassic.net/EN/album/albumdetail.jsp?albumno=gxzht8ra |title=Beethoven: Triple Concerto/Boccherini: Cello Concerto No. 3 |access-date=23 April 2021 |website=June Classic |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130901020240/http://www.juneclassic.net/EN/album/albumdetail.jsp?albumno=gxzht8ra |archive-date=1 September 2013}}</ref>

===Football===
Heath was a supporter of the [[Lancashire]] football club [[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]], and just after the end of his term as prime minister in 1974 he opened the £450,000 [[Bob Lord (football chairman)|Bob Lord]] Stand at the club's [[Turf Moor]] stadium.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/page/History/0,,10413~1031447,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201152821/http://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/page/History/0%2C%2C10413~1031447%2C00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 December 2008 |title=Burnley &#124; The Turf Moor Story |publisher=Burnleyfootballclub.com |access-date=25 May 2011}}</ref>

===Author===
[[File:Boeken, politici, Bestanddeelnr 929-1293.jpg|thumb|Heath [[Book signing|book-signing]] in 1977]]
Heath wrote several books in the second half of the 1970s: ''Sailing'', ''Music'', and ''Travels''. He also compiled a collection of carols called ''The Joy of Christmas'', published in 1978 by Oxford University Press, which contained the music and lyrics to a wide variety of Christmas carols, each accompanied by a reproduction of a piece of religious art and a short introduction by Heath.

Heath's autobiography, ''The Course of My Life'', appeared in 1998. According to his obituary in ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', this "had involved dozens of researchers and writers (some of whom he never paid) over many years".<ref>{{cite news |title=Obituary: Sir Edward Heath |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/7868577/Sir-Edward-Heath.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/7868577/Sir-Edward-Heath.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=23 November 2010 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=18 July 2005}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==="Grocer Heath"===
In 1964, despite substantial opposition from many Conservative MPs and independent grocers and shopkeepers, Heath led a successful fight to abolish [[resale price maintenance]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Yamey |first1=Basil&nbsp;S. |title=Resale Price Maintenance |date=2008 |publisher=Aldine |location=Chicago |isbn=978-0-202-36227-4 |page=290 |edition=3rd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OI3eRMWZjNwC&q=resale+prices+act+1964+%2B+Edward+Heath&pg=PA290 |access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref>

''[[Private Eye]]'', a satirical current affairs magazine, thereupon persistently ridiculed him as "Grocer Heath".<ref>{{cite book |first=Kenneth&nbsp;O. |last=Morgan |author-link=Kenneth O. Morgan |title=Britain Since 1945: The People's Peace |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tKwGaWWKzNAC&pg=PA227 |year=2001 |publisher=Oxford University Press |pages=227–228 |isbn=978-0-19-158799-3}}</ref> The magazine also parodied him as the managing director of a struggling small company, "Heathco".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ramsden |first1=John |title=Leadership and Change: Prime Ministers in the Post-War World: Edward Heath |url=http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/leadership-and-change-prime-ministers-in-the-post-war-world-edward-heath |publisher=Gresham College |access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hastings |first1=Max |title=The Lonely Mariner |date=19 July 2005 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/jul/19/conservatives.uk5 |access-date=4 August 2015 |work=The Guardian |location=London}}</ref>

===Sexuality===
Heath never married. He had been expected to marry childhood friend Kay Raven, who was reportedly tired of waiting and married an RAF officer whom she met on holiday in 1950. In a four-sentence paragraph of his memoirs, Heath claimed that he had been too busy establishing a career after the war and had "perhaps&nbsp;... taken too much for granted". In a 1998 TV interview with Michael Cockerell, Heath said that he had kept her photograph in his flat for many years afterwards.<ref>''Edward Heath&nbsp;– A Very Singular Man'', Blakeway Productions for BBC2, 1998.</ref>

His interest in music kept him on friendly terms with female musicians, including pianist Moura Lympany. When Heath was prime minister she was approached by the Conservative MP [[Tufton Beamish, Baron Chelwood|Tufton Beamish]], who said: "Moura, Ted must get married. Will you marry him?" She said she would have done but was in love with someone else.<ref>{{cite news |title=UK Politics: Talking Politics A very singular man |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/179358.stm |access-date=3 October 2015 |work=BBC News |date=25 September 1998}}</ref> She later said the most intimate thing Heath had done was to put his arm around her shoulder.<ref>''The Guardian'', 19 March 2001.</ref>

[[Bernard Levin]] wrote at the time in ''[[The Observer]]'' that the UK had to wait until the emergence of the [[permissive society]] for a prime minister who was a virgin.<ref name="guardian.co.uk">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/jul/04/edward-heath-philip-ziegler-review |work=The Observer |location=London |first=Geoffrey |last=Wheatcroft |title=Edward Heath: The Authorised Biography by Philip Ziegler |date=4 July 2010}}</ref> In later life, according to his official biographer [[Philip Ziegler]], at dinner parties Heath was "apt to relapse into morose silence or completely ignore the woman next to him and talk across her to the nearest man";<ref name="guardian.co.uk"/> others at the time claimed Heath was just not talkative at parties.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Benn |first1=Tony |last2=Winstone |first2=Ruth |title=The Benn Diaries |date=1996 |publisher=Arrow |location=London |isbn=978-0-09-963411-9 |pages=363–364 |edition=New single vol. |quote=[[Shirley Williams]] recalled sitting next to Ted Heath at a dinner and when she tried to speak to him, he declined to answer... She had turned to the man on her left and asked, 'Does Ted Heath not speak to women?' and he had answered, 'He doesn't speak to many people at all.'}}</ref>

There were many innuendos in ''Private Eye'' about it and chants insinuating he was homosexual could be heard outside Downing Street during protests by trade unionists against his Industrial Relations Bill.<ref>{{cite book | last = Bloch | first = Michael | title = Closet Queens | page=221 | publisher = Little, Brown | year = 2015 | isbn = 978-1408704127}}</ref>

John Campbell, who published a biography of Heath in 1993,<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7YVnAAAAMAAJ |title=Edward Heath: A Biography |last=Campbell |first=John |date=1993 |publisher=J. Cape |isbn=9780224024822 |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> devoted four pages to a discussion of the evidence concerning Heath's sexuality. While acknowledging that Heath was often assumed by the public to be gay, not least because it is "nowadays&nbsp;... whispered of any bachelor", he found "no positive evidence" that this was so "except for the faintest unsubstantiated rumour" (the footnote refers to a mention of a "disturbing incident" at the beginning of the [[Second World War]] in a 1972 biography by [[Andrew Roth]]). Campbell ultimately concluded that the most significant aspect of Heath's sexuality was his complete [[Psychological repression|repression]] of it.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/11781268/Ted-Heath-the-bachelor-prime-minister-whose-private-life-remained-a-closed-book.html |title=Ted Heath: the bachelor prime minister whose private life remained a closed book |last=Prince |first=Rosa |date=3 August 2015 |website=The Telegraph |access-date=23 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210314165906/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/11781268/Ted-Heath-the-bachelor-prime-minister-whose-private-life-remained-a-closed-book.html |archive-date=14 March 2021}}</ref>

[[Brian Coleman]], the Conservative Party London Assembly member for [[Barnet and Camden]], claimed in 2007 that Heath, to protect his career, had stopped [[cottaging]] in the 1950s. Coleman said it was "common knowledge" among Conservatives that Heath had been given a stern warning by police when he underwent background checks for the post of [[privy counsellor]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Ted Heath 'stopped cottaging for gay sex to protect his career', says Tory MP {{sic|nolink=y}} |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/ted-heath-stopped-cottaging-for-gay-sex-to-protect-his-career-says-tory-mp-7186167.html |access-date=8 October 2014 |work=London Evening Standard |date=24 April 2007}}</ref> Heath's biographer Philip Ziegler wrote in 2010 that Coleman was able to provide "little or no information" to back up this statement, that no man had ever claimed to have had a sexual relationship with Heath, nor was any trace of homosexuality to be found in his papers, and that "those who knew him well" insist that he had no such inclination. He believes Heath to have been [[asexuality|asexual]],<ref>Ziegler 2010, pp. 81–82.</ref> although he does mention a letter from one "Freddy", who seems hurt that "Teddie" had spurned his advances (chapter 2 of his book).

[[Lord Armstrong of Ilminster]], who was Heath's friend and former [[Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister|private secretary]], stated his belief that Heath was asexual, saying that he "never detected a whiff of sexuality in relation to men, women or children."<ref>{{cite news |title=Edward Heath 'completely asexual', says former PM's adviser |date=11 August 2015 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/11/edward-heath-asexual-says-former-adviser |work=The Guardian |location=London |access-date=11 August 2015 |first=Jamie |last=Grierson}}</ref> Another friend and confidant, Sara Morrison, former vice-chairman of the Conservative Party, said Heath had "effectively" told her "that he was sexless".<ref>{{cite web |last=Hanning |first=James |date=15 August 2015 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/edward-heath-was-not-a-sexual-being-says-closest-female-friend-10457407.html |title=Edward Heath 'was not a sexual being', says closest female friend |website=The Independent |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> [[Charles Moore (journalist)|Charles Moore]], in his authorised biography of Margaret Thatcher, said that [[Bill Deedes]] believed that Thatcher "seem[ed] convinced" Heath was gay, whilst Moore believed it is "possible" that Thatcher's reference, in interview in 1974, to Heath not having a family, was a deliberate hint that he was gay, in order to discredit him.<ref>{{cite news |last= Roberts |first=Scott |title=Biography claims Margaret Thatcher thought Edward Heath was gay |url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/04/25/biography-claims-margaret-thatcher-thought-edward-heath-was-gay |work=Pink News |location=London |date=25 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Former PM Ted Heath is 'outed' |url=http://metro.co.uk/2007/04/24/former-pm-ted-heath-is-outed-308406/ |date=24 April 2007}}</ref> Thatcher certainly seems to have disliked Heath. "When I look at him and he looks at me," she once remarked, according to Ziegler (Chapter 4), "it doesn't feel like a man looking at a woman, more like a woman looking at another woman."

When he moved to Arundells in 1985, Heath hired Derek Frost, life partner of [[Jeremy Norman]], to modernise and redecorate the house in Salisbury. He became friends with the couple, though never close. When they asked Heath why he had not supported homosexual law reform (he was either absent from the debates in the 1960s or voted against [[Arthur Gore, 8th Earl of Arran|Lord Arran]]'s first Bill in May 1965), he replied that he had always been in favour but that "the rank and file of the party would never have stood for it." Norman's view is that Heath was "a deeply closeted gay man" who "decided early in life to sublimate his sexuality to his political ambitions."<ref>{{cite book | last = Bloch | first = Michael | title = Closet Queens | pages=222–223 | publisher = Little, Brown | year = 2015 | isbn = 978-1408704127}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last = Norman | first = Jeremy | title = No Make-Up: Straight Tales from a Queer Life | publisher = Elliott & Thompson | year = 2011 | isbn = 978-1904027508}}</ref> In later life, Heath voted for the lowering of the age of same-sex consent to eighteen and then sixteen.

Similarly, Michael McManus, who was Heath's private secretary in the 1990s and helped with his memoirs, writes in his book on gay conservative politicians that he "was left in no doubt whatsoever that Heath was a gay man who had sacrificed his personal life to his political career, exercising iron self-control and living a celibate existence as he climbed the 'greasy pole' of preferment."<ref>{{cite book | last = McManus | first = Michael | title = Tory Pride and Prejudice | publisher = Biteback | year = 2011 | isbn = 978-1849542364}}</ref>

===Allegations of child sexual abuse===
{{See also|Elm Guest House hoax}}
In April 2015, a rape claim against Heath was investigated by the [[Metropolitan Police]] but was dropped.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/06/wiltshire-police-rape-claim-against-edward-heath-rape-dropped/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/06/wiltshire-police-rape-claim-against-edward-heath-rape-dropped/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Wiltshire Police rape claim against Edward Heath was dropped by Scotland Yard two years ago |first1=Robert |last1=Mendick |first2=Martin |last2=Evans |date=6 October 2017 |access-date=27 May 2018 |work=The Telegraph |location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In August 2015, several police forces were investigating allegations of [[child sexual abuse]] by Heath.<ref name="SKY1530217"/> Hampshire, Jersey, Kent, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Thames Valley constabularies and London's Metropolitan Police investigated such claims.<ref>{{cite news |title=Edward Heath abuse claims: Five forces investigating ex-PM |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33770021 |work=BBC News |date=4 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33807497 |title=Edward Heath claims 'did not halt brothel case |website=BBC News |date=6 August 2015 |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> It was reported that a man had claimed that at the age of 12 years he had been raped by Heath in a [[Mayfair]] flat in 1961, after he had run away from home.<ref>{{cite news |last=Anderson |first=Steve |title=Edward Heath 'raped 12-year-old boy at Mayfair flat' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/edward-heath-raped-12-yearold-boy-at-mayfair-flat-10436554.html |access-date=4 August 2015 |work=The Independent |location=London |date=4 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2015/08/edward-heath-wasnt-gay-trust-me-i-tried-and-failed-to-seduce-him/ |author-link=Jonathan King |last=King |first=Jonathan |work=Coffee House (Spectator blog) |title=Why I don't believe that Ted Heath was gay |date=7 August 2015 |access-date=4 April 2016 |archive-date=19 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160219203456/http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2015/08/edward-heath-wasnt-gay-trust-me-i-tried-and-failed-to-seduce-him/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Allegations about Heath were investigated as part of [[Operation Midland]], the Metropolitan Police inquiry into claims of historic child abuse and related [[homicide]]s.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/04/edward-heath-met-have-been-investigating-claims-for-several-months |title=Edward Heath: Met has been investigating claims for several months |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=4 August 2015}}</ref> A witness called "Nick" was introduced to the police by the former ''[[Exaro]]'' website, who had asked him about alleged child sexual abuse by prominent figures at the [[Dolphin Square]] apartment complex in [[Pimlico]], London; Heath was reported to be one of the figures.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Conrad |first1=Mark |last2=Watts |first2=Mark |url=http://www.exaronews.com/articles/5629/sir-edward-heath-met-also-investigates-claims-of-child-sex-abuse |title=Sir Edward Heath: Met also investigates claims of child sex abuse |website=Exaro News |date=4 August 2015 |access-date=23 March 2016}}</ref> In 2018 "Nick", whose real name is [[Carl Beech (Operation Midland)|Carl Beech]], was arrested and charged over child pornography offences<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/source-of-vip-sex-abuse-ring-reports-that-prompted-failed-police-probe-is-charged-with-child-porn-offences/ |title=Source of 'VIP Sex Abuse Ring' Reports that Sparked Failed Police Probe is Charged Over Child Porn Offences |date=7 February 2018 |website=Press Gazette |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> and in January 2019 he pleaded guilty.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46965787 |title=Man Admits Voyeurism and Indecent Image Charges |website=BBC News |date=23 January 2019 |access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> Beech, who had fabricated allegations against Heath and other prominent politicians and civil servants, was sentenced in July 2019 to eighteen years in prison.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49130670 |title=Carl Beech: 'VIP abuse' accuser jailed for 18 years |date=26 July 2019 |work=BBC News}}</ref>

Also in August 2015, [[Sky News]] reported that Jersey police were investigating allegations against Heath as part of [[Operation Whistle]],<ref name="SKY1530217">{{cite news |url=http://news.sky.com/story/1530217/calls-made-to-ted-heath-child-sex-abuse-line |publisher=Sky News |title=Calls Made To Ted Heath Child Sex Abuse Line |date=4 August 2015}}</ref> and a similar investigation, Operation Conifer, was launched by [[Wiltshire Police]] at the same time.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Willgress |first1=Lydia |last2=Evans |first2=Martin |title=Two people arrested as part of police probe into child abuse allegations against Sir Edward Heath |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/14/two-people-arrested-as-part-of-police-probe-into-child-abuse-all/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/14/two-people-arrested-as-part-of-police-probe-into-child-abuse-all/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=26 February 2017 |work=The Telegraph |date=14 November 2016 |location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation, which operates the museum at Arundells, his home in Salisbury, said it welcomed the investigation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sir Edward Heath abuse claims: IPCC investigates police |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-33755726 |access-date=4 April 2016 |work=BBC News |date=3 August 2015}}</ref> In November 2016, criminologist [[Richard Hoskins]] said that the evidence used against Heath in Operation Conifer, including discredited allegations of [[satanic ritual abuse]], was "preposterous", "fantastical" and gained through the "controversial" practice of [[recovered-memory therapy]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Booth |first=Robert |url= https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/nov/27/ted-heath-police-child-abuse-inquiry-fantastical-evidence |title=Ted Heath's accuser 'gave child abuse inquiry fantastical evidence' |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=27 November 2016 |access-date=28 November 2016}}</ref> Operation Conifer was closed in March 2017, having cost a reported £1.5&nbsp;million over two years, as no corroborating evidence had been found in any of the 42 allegations by 40 individuals (including three different names used by one person).<ref name="PE1455">{{cite magazine |date=20 October 2017 |title=Veale butchers Grocer |magazine=[[Private Eye]] |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Mendick |first=Robert |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/18/police-wind-sir-edward-heath-sex-abuse-probe/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/18/police-wind-sir-edward-heath-sex-abuse-probe/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Police Wind Up Sir Edward Heath Sex Abuse Inquiry |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=18 March 2017|access-date=29 June 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In September 2017, it was announced that the [[Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse]] would review the police investigation into Heath.<ref>{{cite news |title=Child sex abuse inquiry to consider Edward Heath investigation |url= https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/10/national-child-sex-abuse-inquiry-to-consider-edward-heath-investigation |access-date=10 September 2017 |work=The Guardian |agency=Press Association |date=10 September 2017}}</ref> Police said that if Heath were still alive they would have interviewed him [[Right to silence in England and Wales|under caution]] in relation to seven out of the 42 allegations,<ref name="PE1455"/> but nothing should be inferred about his guilt or innocence.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/oct/05/ted-heath-would-have-been-questioned-over-seven-abuse-claims-police-say |title=Ted Heath would have been questioned over abuse claims, police say |first1=Vikram |last1=Dodd |first2=Steven |last2=Morris |date=5 October 2017 |access-date=5 October 2017|work=The Guardian |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/30/police-say-there-were-grounds-to-suspect-edward-heath-over-child-abuse-claims |title=Police say there were grounds to suspect Edward Heath over child abuse claims |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=30 September 2017}}</ref> In his summary report, Chief Constable [[Mike Veale]] confirmed that "no further corroborative evidence was found" to support the satanic abuse claims.<ref name="PE1455"/>