Britain and the European Community

Abstract

Whatever Britons individually think about their country’s membership in the European Community, there is no doubt that Britain’s entry on 1 January 1973 is among the most important developments in British or European politics in the post-war era.¹ Seldom has there been a single event that has reflected such a reorientation in British foreign and domestic policy, and one that had, by itself, such a potential for affecting the conduct and content of the county’s public affairs. It is not surprising, therefore, that the issue raised such strong and conflicting responses. These ranged from the strongly favourable assessment of Britain’s decision to enter Europe by former Times editor William Rees-Mogg, viz., that ‘… Britain’s entry into Europe under Mr. Heath (was) much the most helpful event of my time as editor, and one that I believe will prove to be historically the most important’,² to the loud condemnation of British membership at various times by Labour Party leaders like Michael Foot and Tony Benn.