1970-1970 Foreign Policy

What were the advantages of joining Europe?

• free trade, same conditions as those within the EU

• USA wanted us to join, enhance the special relationship

• regain our place on the world stage

• increase Heath’s popularity and hopefully end suez

What were the disadvantages of joining Europe?

• immigration

• commonwealth may feel ignored

• people may still be salty over the war and Suez

• may enhance people’s fears over the Cold War escalating

Why was joining the EEC a success?

• key to maintaining peace and preventing war

• leader of France believed that the EEC needed the UK

• Remove relative decline

• We had been accepted this time (1973)

Why was joining the EEC a failure?

• split conservative party (Enoch Powell encouraged people to vote for the Labour party)

• terms of entry were not very good

• Labour were extremely divided (69 MP’s voted for joining the EEC helping Britain to join)

What was the 1975 Referendum?

• Wilson and Callaghan remained neutral

• Yes- most of cabinet and Ted Heath, Roy Jenkins, Jeremy Thorpe (liberal leader)

• No- Barbara Castle, Michael Foot (bad for UK workers0

• No- Tony Benn, Enoch Powell (loss of independence)

• 68.3% (17 million) voted to remain in the EEC

• 32.5% (8 million) voted to leave the EEC