Editing Harold Wilson (section)

==Return to opposition (1970–1974)==

Following the elections and Labour's subsequent defeat, Wilson survived as leader of the Labour Party in opposition. In August 1973, holidaying on the [[Isles of Scilly]], he tried to board a motorboat from a dinghy and stepped into the sea. He was unable to get into the boat and was left in the cold water for more than half an hour, hanging on to the fenders of the motorboat. He was close to death before he was saved by Paul Wolff, the father of novelist [[Isabel Wolff]]. When word of the incident became public the following month, Wilson downplayed its severity; it was taken up by the press and resulted in some embarrassment. His press secretary, [[Joe Haines (journalist)|Joe Haines]], tried to deflect some of the comment by blaming Wilson's dog Paddy for the problem.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32830379 |title=The strange day my father saved Harold Wilson's life |work=[[BBC News]] |date=23 May 2015 |access-date=25 June 2022}}</ref>

Early in 1974, Wilson became the victim of a [[personation]] fraud. A Staffordshire [[property developer]], Ronald Milhench, forged a letter purporting to be from the former Prime Minister.<ref name="BBC"> {{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/8/newsid_2539000/2539513.stm |title= Man jailed for forging PM's signature – 8 November 1974|access-date=15 April 2024|work=[[BBC News]] On This Day|date= 8 November 1974 }}</ref>  Milhench was involved in negotiations for a property deal; unable to provide finance, he met a journalist, claiming that Wilson was involved with the deal. Milhench further claimed he wanted to deal "a body blow" to Labour's election chances and that he could sell the letter for £25000. In November 1974, Milhench was convicted of forgery, theft and firearms charges.<ref name="BBC"></ref><ref>{{cite news |title= Ronald Milhench, who forged Mr Wilson's signature, is jailed for three years |newspaper=The Times |publisher=Times Digital Archive |date= 9 November 1974 |page=4 |issue=59240|url=http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/552/371/35114420w16/purl=rc1_TTDA_0_CS67337065&dyn=3!xrn_2_0_CS67337065&hst_1?sw_aep=linshlib |access-date=14 April 2024 |url-access=subscription |mode=cs2}}</ref>

Economic conditions during the 1970s were becoming more difficult for Britain and many other western economies as a result of the [[Nixon shock]] and the [[1973 oil crisis]], and the Heath government in its turn was buffeted by economic adversity and industrial unrest (notably including confrontation with the coalminers which led to the [[Three-Day Week]]) towards the end of 1973, and on 7 February 1974 (with the crisis still ongoing) Heath called a snap election for 28 February.<ref>{{cite news |title=BBC ON THIS DAY &#124; 7 &#124; 1974: Heath calls snap election over miners |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/low/dates/stories/february/7/newsid_4054000/4054793.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=26 September 2011 |date=7 February 1974 |archive-date=29 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170629090731/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/low/dates/stories/february/7/newsid_4054000/4054793.stm |url-status=live}}</ref>