The UK and Europe

Joining the EEC

The UK first applied to join the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1961 but Charles de Gaulle vetoed the application, on the grounds that the UK’s close links with the USA and the British Commonwealth would hamper its commitment to the EEC. In 1969, the next French President George Pompidou removed the French veto and the UK could finally join the EEC on January 1^st, 1973, under pro-Europe Conservative PM Edward Heath.

The 1972 European Communities Act voted in Europe before the UK joined the EEC imposed on all members that European laws take precedence over domestic laws.

Defiance toward the EEC

The Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher grew increasingly defiant of further integration into the EEC, because they believed it would damage British sovereignty and independence. In 1992, due to a domestic economic crisis, the then Conservative government withdrew the pound sterling from the Exchange Rate Mechanism which was meant to lead to the Single European Currency. Britain would never be part of the Eurozone.

The UK had an odd position within the European Union, half in – as it had ratified the Maastricht Treaty (1992) but was out of the single currency zone. The Conservatives campaigned against Europe in 1997 and lost the subsequent election to the then very Pro-Europe Labour Party, led by Tony Blair. However Blair failed in persuading the country to enter the Eurozone.

Brexit

The Brexit referendum resulted from years of Conservative anti-Europe campaigning. It was announced by Conservative PM David Cameron in 2013, who hoped the referendum would put an end to his party’s internal divisions. He also aimed at stopping Conservatives turning to UKIP.

However when Cameron found himself forced to actually organise the referendum, he had to publicly admit he wanted the UK to remain within the EU. The Leave campaign was led by Cameron’s close friend Michael Gove, along with Boris Johnson. On 23 June 2016, the referendum was held and the result was strongly oriented towards a British exit from the EU, with a turnout of 72 %, 52 % voted to leave, 48 % to remain.