Britain and the EEC 1970s

Question 1

What encouraged Heath to join the EEC?

Answer 1

He saw European cooperation as key to preventing any repetition of a nazi government

Question 2

Who was the new president of France and why was this important?

Answer 2

George Pompidou who was convinced that the EEC needed Britain as much as Britain needed Europe.

Question 3

Why did the conservatives disapprove of the EEC?

Answer 3

They believed strongly in the Commonwealth and also that Britain would lose its sovereignty

Question 4

What did Enoch Powell believe about the EEC?

Answer 4

Strongly against it. He believed that Heath had portrayed the country by signing the treaty before it had been debated in parliament.

Question 5

Describe labours attitude towards the EEC.

Answer 5

They were even more badly divided on the issue of Europe - some committed pro-Europeans (Roy Jenkins) but the labour left was mostly hostile.

Question 6

State the advantages for Britain joining the EEC.

Answer 6

• gained access to European markets.
• stood a better chance of attracting global business.
• British workers had the right to work in other EEC countries
• greater opportunity of movement for British people within Europe.

Question 7

State the disadvantages of Britain joining the EEC.

Answer 7

• could no longer buy cheap food from the Commonwealth.
• had to make higher contributions to the EEC budget than it received in grants (paying for 20%, receiving 8%)
• British consumers found themselves paying inflated prices.

Question 8

What did the common fisheries policy severely restrict?

Answer 8

Britain’s right to fish in its customary grounds and led to a significant reduction in its fishing industry

Question 9

What was one of the conditions for Britain to join the EEC?

Answer 9

Britain had to impose a VAT on most of the commodities which British consumers bought; VAT began in 1973 at 8%

Question 10

Describe the difference in attitude towards the EEC between Wilson and Heath.

Answer 10

Wilson was uncommitted to European membership and worried about maintaining unity within labour.
Heath was passionately pro-European.

Question 11

How did some of the Labour MPs fight for the EEC?

Answer 11

69 rebel Labour MPs helped the Conservative government to win the decisive Commons vote.

Question 12

Describe the uncertainty of Britain’s place in the EEC

Answer 12

Heath’s persistence and commitment got Britain in but the likelihood of a referendum in the future meant that there was still uncertainty.

Question 13

Describe how some disagreed with Britain’s membership in the EEC in terms of the timing.

Answer 13

Some feared that it was 16 years too late and Britain would suffer adversely from missing out on the formative years of the EEC since 1957.

Question 14

What was Wilson’s main aim when Labour came back into power in 1974?

Answer 14

Party unity. This was demonstrated in the referendum campaign of 1975.

Question 15

What was Wilson’s strategy in the referendum?

Answer 15

To allow his anti-European cabinet colleagues to campaign according to their own views, rather than trying to enforce a party line.

Question 16

Describe the support for the EEC by 1975. Were the press in favour?

Answer 16

Much stronger than before. The economic mess proved that Britain needed to be in for its own economic survival. Most of the press was strongly in favour

Question 17

What did business supporters finance and what did a survey in 1975 find?

Answer 17

The ‘Yes’ Campaign. Out of 419 company chairmen, only 4 wanted to leave the EEC.

Question 18

Why did the ‘Yes’ campaign make a bigger impression on the public than those on the other side?

Answer 18

It included most of the cabinet led by Roy Jenkins, plus Edward Heath and most senior conservatives, as well as the Liberal leader, Jeremy Thorpe.

Question 19

Describe the 2 categories and their beliefs in the ‘No’ campaign.

Answer 19

• ‘Bad for British workers’ (included Barbara Castle and Michael Foot, both from Labour left)
• ‘Britain will lose its independence’ (included Tony Benn from the Labour Party, as well as Enoch Powell and Ian Paisley).

Question 20

When and what was the outcome of the referendum?

Answer 20

In July 1975: 
17 million (68.3%) votes yes
8 million (32.5%) voted no