UK History - Section 2 Foreign Affairs

Who was in favour of ‘in’ in the referendum which Wilson promised to do when the Labour Party returned to power ?

• Most of the press

• Most businesses and company chairmen who ensured the ‘In’ campaign was well - funded

• Most senior politicians from all parties - included the leaders of both Liberal and Conservative parties

Who was in favour of ‘out’ in the referendum which Wilson promised to do when the Labour Party returned to power ?

• Much of the Left of the Labour Party

• Enoch Powell - now a member of the UUP

• Leader of DUP - Ian Paisley

• Small minority of business people

What was confirmed at the referendum ?

• Membership - confirmed by a margin of 68.3 % to 32.5 %

• Divisions remained both within the parties and within the country

How was the relationship with the ‘Special Relationship’ maintained in the 1970’s ?

• Heath had a good relationship with US president Nixon

• Heath was more prepared to publicly support US action in the Vietnam war than Wilson had been

• Both Wilson and Callaghan were supporters of the Atlantic Alliance

• Callaghan had a good relationship with US Secretary of State Kissinger and President Carter

• Callaghan negotiated the replacement of the Polaris missiles with the US Trident missiles

How was the relationship with the ‘Special Relationship’ under Strain in the 1970’s ?

• Heath was not prepared for Britain to be a go - between Europe and the US

• Britain did not allow the US to use NATO bases to airlift supplies during the Yom Kuppur War of 1975

• Britain continued to withdraw East of Suez - despite US disquiet