Ex-Prime Minister Ted Heath ‘was gay and lonely

The brothel madam who ignited the Sir Edward Heath child-abuse scandal said yesterday that he was “just an old, sad, gay man”.

He said police expect to investigate 70,000 cases of child sexual abuse this year.

“Allegations of previous failures in the 1990s are being independently investigated by the IPCC”.

“The figure has risen over the past few days – more than so far realised”, said the source.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is also looking into whether Wiltshire Police subsequently followed up the claim against Sir Edward, which was allegedly made in the 1990s.

The force immediately appealed for potential victims and others with information to come forward, and later reported it had received a number of calls.

He did so on television outside Arundells, Heath’s distinctive home from 1985, in the shadow of Salisbury cathedral in Wiltshire. In addition, North Yorkshire Police was reviewing its files.

A Wiltshire Police spokesman said: “This decision has been taken following consultation between Operation Hydrant and affected forces and is based on operational considerations”.

Wiltshire Police said having a lead force would ensure a “consistent approach” across the police forces.

Officers in the county will work with colleagues around Britain to establish a “national investigative strategy”.

It repeated its appeal for information.

The announcement that Wiltshire Police will take the lead will surprise some because its own actions are under investigation by the IPCC in relation to Heath.

At least seven police forces are carrying out investigations linked to abuse claims involving Sir Edward.

Scotland Yard began that investigation last October after Nick met detectives from the Met’s paedophile unit, accompanied by an Exaro reporter.

Myra Forde, 67, insisted the former Tory prime minister was “not a paedophile” and that she had “never supplied anybody” with underage boys.

The Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation said it was confident he would be cleared of any wrongdoing.

Her original account forms one of the cornerstones of the investigation into claims that her original prosecution was hushed up to protect the senior politician.

Shortly after allegations against Sir Edward surfaced, Mrs Forde released a statement that she had “no involvement with Ted Heath of any kind”. Her former lawyer has said the case was dropped due to a lack of evidence.

In a separate development, one of Sir Edward’s closest advisors defended his “unfairly tarnished” reputation yesterday.

Sir Edward, who led the Conservative government between 1970 and 1974, never married and kept his private life under wraps.