Topic 2: FP (1964-70) Flashcards
4
List the reasons for EEC application in 1967
- Economic issues
- Political factors (placate pro-marketeers and counter Heath)
- Foreign policy factors
- Renewed optimism over a reduced supranationalism
3
Describe how economic issues caused EEC application in 1967
- Declining growth (3% to 1.5%) contrasted with continental rivals
- Short-term shocks created demand for EEC entry to solve long-term issues (Wilson openly pro-market after 1966 July Crisis)
- Strengthen Britain’s technological developments
4
Describe how political factors caused EEC application in 1967
- Internal europhile attitudes
- Intended to outflank Heath who openly advocated EEC entry
- Wilson appeared even-handed in debates by foucussing on terms, rather than principle. of entry
- Wilson initially convinced Tony Benn that Britian could develop better technology through membership
Benn - tech minister
4
Describe Labour europhiles’ attitudes to the EEC (1964-70)
- e.g. Jenkins and Brown
- Brown wanted to create a politically integrated Europe to stand up to USA
- Did not believe commonwealth was good base for British power
- DEA developed pro-EU policy
4
Describe the Labour left’s attitudes to the EEC (1964-70)
- e.g. Foot and Casle
- Claimed membership would increase food prices
- Would damage balance of payments with rush of imports from Europe
- Regarded EEC as ‘capitalist club’
4
Describe how FP factors caused EEC application in 1967
- ‘Friendly Five’ (excluding France) wanted to end rival trading blocs with Britain
- Britain had committed to Treaty of Rome
- Greater international role
- To please President LBJ who spoke in favour of united Europe in NATO, especially since he held a more ambivalent attitude towards Britain than JFK
4
Describe how reduced supranationalism caused EEC application in 1967
- De Gaulle supported integration, not supranationalism of Brussels
- Empty Chair Crisis in 1965 - French boycott of EEC
- Gained members’ individual veto on important national issues
- Wilson belived he could work with France to build a ‘Europe of States’, though the FO disagreed
6
Outline British attempts to join the EEC in 1967
- March 1966 election have Wilson increased mandate
- Featured in 1966 manifesto
- Wilson and Brown toured all EEC countries in early 1967
- Formally applied May 1967
- endeavoured to avoid long-delays of Macmillan
- De Gaulle vetoed application 2nd time in November 1967
4
Describe how De Gaulle caused EEC rejection in 1967
- Still concerned over ‘special relationship’
- Concerned motives were purely economic
- 1966, Healey (Defence Sec) forced to apologise after calling De Gaulle ‘bad ally’ for French troop withdrawal from NATO
- ‘Friendly Five’ favoured membership, but did not want to alienate France after empty chair crisis
2
Describe how the ‘special relationship’ caused EEC rejection in 1967
- Concerned De Gaulle
- Paris June 1967, De Gaulle demanded assurances from Wilson that UK would detach from ‘special relationship’ → completely unrealistic
2
Describe how devaluation caused EEC rejection in 1967
- Resistance to devaluation
- French said sterling would have to be devalued before entry
combine with economic reasons card in exam
3
Describe how wider economic reasons caused EEC rejection in 1967
- 1966 Sterling Crisis justified French concerns over Britain’s fitness to join
- EEC had more to lose than gain by allowing EFTA states access to common market
- De Gaulle criticised Wilson for seeking hasty entry to resolve economic woes
combine with devaluation card in exam
3
Describe the consequences of EEC rejection in 1967
- Wilson humiliated
- Criticism from the left and the right
- Forced to accept devaluation
2
Describe American military support (1964-70)
- Lab cancelled expensive military aircraft programme →
replaced with American F1-11s - Wilson abandoned identification with UDI (see other card)
4
Describe Wilson’s attitude to the USA (1964-70)
- pro-American
- Amicable relationship with LBJ
- Reluctance for military force informed inaction in Rhodesia and Vietnam
- Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 highlighted need for maintained Atlantic Alliance