Former Conservative Prime Ministers Sir Edward Heath and Baroness Thatcher check their watches during speeches at the Conservative Party annual conference in Bournemouth today (Wed). PA Photos. *24/10/00 Mr Heath announced that he is to retire from Parliament at the next general election after more than 50 years as an MP. As the Father of the House - its longest serving Member - Sir Edward conducted Monday the arduous procedure to elect the new Speaker. Despite his age, Sir Edward is a regular attender at the Commons, an occasional speaker - always without notes and invariably witty - and never misses an opportunity to proclaim his pro-European views.