Who did Margaret Thatcher defeat to become leader of the Conservative Party?

Answer 1

(Hold on I think I did a mistake. Yes I think I did mistake.
Edited!!!)

Margaret Hilda Thatcher (born 13 October 1925) First female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1979-1990), known as the iron lady, and quoted as the greatest living Englishwoman, tigress surrounded by hamsters, pétain in petticoats, etc.

She lead the Conservative Party in 1975, replacing Edward Heath, who stepped down after losing the first ballot.Thatcher victory was when William Whitelaw lost in a vote one week later. She actually defeated Edward Heath on the first round and she knocked out William Whitelaw in the second round of voting.

So it means she defeated "William Whitelaw" to become the leader of the Conservative Party replacing Edward Heath. William Whitelaw was thereafter appointed Home Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister in Thatcher's new government.

Whew!

Answer 2

The Iron Lady - Margaret Thatcher defeated Sir Edward Richard George Heath to became the Conservative Party Leader.

Sir Edward Richard George 'Ted' Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005), soldier and politician, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. Heath represented a transition between the traditional 'squirearchical' leadership of the party (by senior figures such as Harold Macmillan) and that of later self-consciously meritocratic figures, starting with Margaret Thatcher.

As the rules of the leadership contest permitted new candidates to enter the fray in a second round of voting should the leader not be confirmed by a large enough majority, Thatcher's challenge was considered by some to be that of a stalking horse. Thatcher's campaign manager Airey Neave was later accused of having deliberately understated her support in order to attract waverers. In the end, Heath lost the first ballot by 119 votes to 130 on February 4, 1975. Heath then withdrew from the contest, and by then it was too late for any allies from his own wing of the party to overtake Thatcher's lead. His favoured candidate William Whitelaw lost to Thatcher in a vote one week later, 146 to 79.

Answer 3

Sir Edward Richard George Heath

Answer 4

She defeated Ted Heath the sitting party leader in a leadership contest in 1975 and she became Prime Minister in 1979. She was then deposed in 1990 when she pulled out of a leadership contest herself. This was then won by John Major.

Answer 5

Edward Heath

Answer 6

Edward Heath