Editing Michael Heseltine (section)

===Opposition: 1975–79===
Heseltine did not work easily with women as senior colleagues, as was shown by the difficulty experienced by [[Elinor Goodman]] in obtaining promotion from secretary to journalist at ''Campaign'', and his reluctance to let Josephine Hart sit on the Haymarket Board.<ref>Crick 1997, pp. 151, 180–1.</ref> Heseltine fully expected to be sacked from the Shadow Cabinet by the new leader (as [[Peter Walker, Baron Walker of Worcester|Peter Walker]] was at this time), but was retained, in part because Thatcher was impressed by his fierce opposition to Benn's Industry Bill, and partly because a senior figure, possibly [[Geoffrey Howe]], argued for his retention.<ref>Crick 1997, pp. 180–1.</ref>

Heseltine first emerged as a platform orator at the Conservative National Council in March 1975, and then at the autumn conferences in 1975 and 1976 (where he likened Labour to a one-legged army marching "Left, left, left"). He dictated his speech ideas beforehand to his scriptwriters, who had to discard a good deal of unintelligible material. His reputation was derived not from any factual content or argument, but from the force and brio of his delivery – it was said of him that he could "find the party's [[clitoris]]". There was talk of his being appointed Party Chairman (in charge of the party organisation and of campaigning across the country) in place of [[Peter Thorneycroft]].<ref>Crick 1997, pp. 185–8.</ref>

In the summer of 1975, Heseltine persuaded the Shadow Cabinet not to oppose the Labour Government's bailout of [[British Leyland]] because of the risk to marginal seats (including some [[Plant Oxford|Cowley]] workers in northern wards of his own Henley seat). Industry Secretary [[Tony Benn]] thought Heseltine intellectually shallow (describing one of his speeches as "an awful old flop" and another as "another flayling attack") but admired his ability to make headlines in opposition.<ref>Crick 1997, pp. 182–44.</ref>

The infamous mace incident took place on 27 May 1976 during the [[Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977|Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Bill]], a measure whose passage had already lasted a year and seen 58 Committee sessions. The Speaker had ruled the bill to be [[Hybrid instrument|hybrid]], as it excluded one shipbuilding company (although there was dispute as to whether the company in question actually was a shipbuilder). All interested parties were therefore entitled to put their case to a special select committee. An earlier vote in favour of the Speaker's ruling had been tied, and defeated after the Speaker had been obliged by convention to use his casting vote against his own ruling. The Labour Government now moved to suspend the normal Parliamentary standing order to allow the bill to proceed as normal. This time the Conservatives expected the Speaker to use his casting vote ''against'' the government's motion to suspend the standing order. Instead the Labour motion was carried, after a Labour whip broke his [[Pair (parliamentary convention)|pair]]. Amid riotous scenes of Labour left-wingers singing [[The Red Flag#The song "The Red Flag"|''The Red Flag'']] Heseltine picked up the [[ceremonial mace|Mace]], the symbol of Parliament's authority, until Jim Prior grabbed it off him. Accounts of exactly what happened vary but it seems likely that he was mockingly offering it to the Labour benches, not, as some alleged, "brandishing" it – an illusion caused by Prior pulling his other arm down. Thatcher was furious. Speaker [[George Thomas, 1st Viscount Tonypandy|Thomas]] [[List of incidents of grave disorder in the British House of Commons|suspended the sitting]] and made Heseltine wait until next day to apologise so that tempers could cool. Heseltine was faced with calls for his resignation from the Shadow Cabinet; he thought it would play well with the public, but in Crick's view it helped to cement a reputation for impulsiveness and poor judgement.<ref>Crick 1997, pp. 188–91.</ref>

In autumn 1976 Heseltine was reshuffled, against his will, to the job of Shadow Environment Secretary. He was particularly cross at having to give up the job of Shadow Industry Secretary to [[John Biffen]]. He accepted on condition that he would not have to take the Environment job when the Conservatives returned to office. As Benn had given way to [[Eric Varley]] there was no longer such a need for aggressive campaigning on Industry, and Thatcher, who had herself been Shadow Environment Secretary in 1974, wanted campaigning on council house sales (Heseltine offered up to 50% discounts for tenants who bought their homes) and reform of the rates, and thought his predecessor [[Timothy Raison]] ineffective.<ref>Crick 1997, pp. 191–3.</ref><ref>Michael Heseltine, ''Life in the Jungle'', Hodder & Stoughton, 2000, {{ISBN|0-340-73915-0}}, pp. 155–85.</ref>