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The term 'Selsdon Man' was coined by Labour Party Prime Minister Harold Wilson to describe the free-market economic policy of his principal rival, Conservative leader Edward Heath.[1] The term 'Selsdon Man' was intended as a derogatory reference to the historic 'Piltdown Man',[2] the supposed remains of an early human (later determined to be an elaborate fraud).[3]
In January 1970, the Conservative shadow cabinet held a conference at Selsdon Park Hotel to plan future policy ahead of that years' general election. The result was a series of free-market policies[4] that would eventually be included in the 1970 Conservative Party Manifesto.[5] Edward Heath's Conservative Party won the 1970 general election in a surprise victory, securing a majority of 30 seats.
Though Heath's Conservative government initially put some of their Selsdon free-market policies into practice, they had largely been reversed by the end of 1972.
- ^ "Election 2015: Voter profiles of the past". BBC News. 2015-05-05. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
- ^ "Election 2015: Voter profiles of the past". BBC News. 2015-05-05. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
- ^ "Piltdown review points decisive finger at forger Dawson". BBC News. 2016-08-10. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
- ^ Young, Hugo. One Of Us London: MacMillan, 1989.
- ^ "Not updated: British Conservative Party election manifesto, 1970". 2010-01-10. Archived from the original on 2010-01-10. Retrieved 2024-05-30.