NAMES IN THE NEWS : British Conservatives Target Heath

LONDON — Leading Conservatives demanded former Prime Minister Edward Heath’s expulsion from Britain’s ruling party today for a string of attacks on the government that deeply embarrassed its European Parliament election campaign.

In the space of two days, Heath has accused Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of “patronizing, self-serving hypocrisy,” Conservative Party Chairman Peter Brook of lying and the party machine of running a dirty tricks department.

Heath’s onslaught followed several speeches in which he angered the party by criticizing Thatcher’s disagreement with many European Community policies. Heath led Britain into the European Community in 1972 and has since been the guardian of its commitment to membership.