5. Foreign affairs Flashcards
EEC
Why brtiain didn’t previously join EEC?
- 1950 - Schuman Plan = Britain felt they were already a world power (EFTA= believed in free trade)
- 1963 - Wanted to join as the USA wanted them to join, the British economy was failing/ post war boom
- 1967 - DeGaulle vetoed for a second time, knock to Britain’s prestige
EEC
Reasons for joining
- Britain lost opportunity to rebuild from scratch after WW2
- DeGaulle vetoed EEC membership, missed out on 8 years of economic benefits.
- Economic benefits for Britain
Year of 3rd EEC application
1971 - prepared
1973 - accepted
EEC
How Heath being PM helped?
- Wilson = uncommitted to European membership + worried about unity w/in labour.
- Heath = passionatly pro-Europe.
- first parlimentary speech about Schuman plan.
- as student, visited Germnay and appauled by Nazi gov = saw european co-operation as key to preventing repetiton.
EEC
Impact of Charles DeGaulle
Now George Pompidou was PM whereas DeGaulle was sus of links w US.
= believed ECC need Britain a much as Britain needed them
EEC
Gaining parlimentary approval// Conservative spilts
- doubters = partly blieved brtiain would be surrendering sovreighty.
- e.g. E.g. Enoch Powell - voted against passage of European Bill.
- Belief heath betrayed country by siging the treaty before being debated by parliment.
EEC
Labour splits over EEC
- Pro - Roy Jenkins
- Labour left - hostile
- Party officially opposed plans in parliment but couldn’t argue againstjoining on principle as too many pro-EEC.
- argued terms weren’t good enough.
- Wilson could only keep party together by promising a renegotiation and national referendum when Labour comes back to power.
EEC
Parliament voting to approve Britain’s entry
69 rebel Labour MPs helped Conservaive gov win desisive Commons vote.
20 Labour sustained.
EEC
Reasons for referendum
Although Wilson supported EEC membership, most Labour MP’s did not, this produced a cross party divide + was one of promises previously to please the party.
European referendum year
1975
EEC Referendum
Remain side
- Access to European markets, free trade with Europe
- Easier to travel, don’t need a visa
- Peace for the future = what Churchill would have wanted
- Development grants = improve cities e.g. Birmingham
- Right to work abroad
- Attracting global business
- Roy Jenkins, Shirley Williams, Heath
- Funded by EEC and spent 2x as much as ‘leave’
EEC Referendum
Leave side
- Cost of living to rise
- VAT at 8%
- Already rejected twice, do they want us
- Not favourable membership conditions
- Free markets are the future
- Agriculture affects UK farmers badly
- Loosing links with the Commonwealth/ USA
- Bad for smaller companies
- Independence (not giving into sovereignty)
- Barbra Castle, Michael Foot
EEC referendum
Results
- Overwhelming victory for ‘remain’
- defeated Labour MPs promised to work constructivley w/in rules of EEC
- many complained that voters had not been informed about the implications of political integration with Europe
YES = 67.2%
NO = 32.8%
EEC referendum
Post-referendum
- Britain didn’t gain econ benefits promised by ‘remain’
- inflation and economic turndown thar began in ‘73 due to oil prices hurt econ far more than EEC gains.
- Exports to Europe declines after ‘73, after doubling between ‘58-‘73
- Net contributer to EEC - putting in 20%, getting back 8%.
- Restricted from trading w/ Commonwealth on preferential terms.
USA
Shared values
- Democracy
- Christian morality
- Capitalist
- Active foreign policy
- Historically on the same side
- olidarity
- Personal friendships
- Agreement on policy
- Global economy
