Back to the Time Of The Hippie calendar
Election time again and, for the first time ever, people aged 18 or over could vote. On 1 January 1970 the age of majority, the age you legally became an adult and therefore the age you could vote, was reduced from 21 to 18. This is the reason I have never grown up, and that's official. When I reached 18 in 1967, you had to be 21. When I reached 21 in 1970, the age by then was 18 so I missed it. This is my excuse for behaving like a kid all my life. Legally, I am.
Anyhow back to the election. If you remember Harold Wilson of the Labour Party had been Prime Minister since 1964. The opinion polls had him well ahead. So he lost. Opinion polls are like that. Edward Heath, leader of the Conservative Party, was elected with a majority of 31 seats over all other parties.
People had different theories as to why Wilson lost ranging from some jobless figures being released on polling day, June 18, which showed unemployment at its highest since 1940 and the fact that England had lost to West Germany a few days before in the 1970 World Cup quarter finals.
Whatever the reason, Labour was out and Ted Heath was free to begin negotiations that would have a major effect on the country's future and an even greater effect on yours. Wait and see.
Forward to 1971AD
