Harold Wilson's EEC Application
Title | Harold Wilson's EEC Application PDF eBook |
Author | Jane Toomey |
Publisher | |
Pages | 168 |
Release | 2007 |
Genre | History |
ISBN |
Britain's policy towards Europe in the latter half of the twentieth century has been the subject of endless interest, scrutiny and debate. The European question has dominated foreign policy agendas from Churchill to Blair. This book seeks to further our knowledge of one of the most crucial periods for both Britain and Europe but also to enliven the debate concerning fundamental issues. Why, against a backdrop of the burgeoning 1960s, did the Labour Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, seek to replicate the path taken by his Conservative predecessor Harold Macmillan, and make an application to join the EEC? And why was he unable to succeed? These two questions are central to this study and their answers provide invaluable insights into the formulation, execution and fate of Britain's European policy during this period. Using newly released archival material in the National Archives and having consulted extensive interviews with many of the key political figures, Jane Toomey not only challenges old assumptions but also offers a new interpretation of Wilson's European diplomacy
Harold Wilson and European Integration
Title | Harold Wilson and European Integration PDF eBook |
Author | Oliver J. Daddow |
Publisher | Routledge |
Pages | 317 |
Release | 2016-01-20 |
Genre | History |
ISBN | 1317957997 |
Harold Wilson's direction of the second British application to join the EEC us ripe for reinterpretation. With new and exciting material now available in the Public Record Office and abroad, this is an extremely propitious moment to reconsider Wilson's motivations, and to contextualise them in light of evidence on foreign policy-making contained in the official record.
Harold Wilson, Denmark and the Making of Labour European Policy, 1958-72
Title | Harold Wilson, Denmark and the Making of Labour European Policy, 1958-72 PDF eBook |
Author | Matthew Broad |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Pages | 300 |
Release | 2017 |
Genre | Business & Economics |
ISBN | 1786940485 |
Explores how the European policies of the British Labour Party and Danish Social Democrats evolved between 1958 and enlargement of the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973, comparing how they each responded to the integration process at key moments and, more innovatively, highlights the impact of informal contacts between them.
Britain and the Bomb
Title | Britain and the Bomb PDF eBook |
Author | David James Gill |
Publisher | Stanford University Press |
Pages | 321 |
Release | 2014-01-08 |
Genre | History |
ISBN | 0804788588 |
Drawing on primary sources from both sides of the Atlantic, Britain and the Bomb explores how economic, political, and strategic considerations have shaped British nuclear diplomacy. The book concentrates on Prime Minister Harold Wilson's first two terms of office, 1964-1970, which represent a critical period in international nuclear history. Wilson's commitment to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and his support for continued investment in the British nuclear weapons program, despite serious economic and political challenges, established precedents that still influence policymakers today. The continued independence of Britain's nuclear force, and the enduring absence of a German or European deterrent, certainly owes a debt to Wilson's handling of nuclear diplomacy more than four decades ago. Beyond highlighting the importance of this period, the book explains how and why British nuclear diplomacy evolved during Wilson's leadership. Cabinet discussions, financial crises, and international tensions encouraged a degree of flexibility in the pursuit of strategic independence and the creation of a non-proliferation treaty. Gill shows us that British nuclear diplomacy was a series of compromises, an intricate blend of political, economic, and strategic considerations.
Britain and Europe
Title | Britain and Europe PDF eBook |
Author | N.J. Crowson |
Publisher | Routledge |
Pages | 225 |
Release | 2010-10-18 |
Genre | History |
ISBN | 1136891986 |
This textbook provides a comprehensive account of Britain’s uneasy relationship with continental Europe from 1918 to the present day. Unlike other books on the subject, the author considers 'Europe' in its broadest sense and examines a wider history than just Britain's relations with the European Union (EU). This includes pre-war history and the role of key political institutions outside the EU such as the Council of Europe and the Western European Union. Subjects covered include: how the experience of the inter-war years and the Second World War helped shape attitudes towards the EU european perspectives on Britain as well as the other way round key theories on European integration the changing nature of Britain's global role issues of sovereignty and legitimacy the role of political parties and the Europeanisation of national government the rise of Euroscepticism in British politics and how ‘Europe’ has become entwined in the ideological battles of the main political parties. Exploring the political, diplomatic and military relationship between Britain and Europe, this accessible and wide-ranging textbook is essential core reading for students of British and European history and politics.
Harold Wilson and Europe
Title | Harold Wilson and Europe PDF eBook |
Author | Melissa Pine |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
Pages | 284 |
Release | 2007-10-24 |
Genre | History |
ISBN | 0857713191 |
NJR - BLURB IN RAW FORM The second British application to join the European Communities (EC) was made during Harold Wilson's second Labour government. It ended in failure with French President Charles de Gaulle's veto in November 1967. This book traces the development of Britain's policy towards the EC from the veto to the end of Wilson's government in June 1970. It is based upon recently released British archival resources, and begins with the puzzle of how it was possible for Edward Heath's Conservative government to open negotiations for membership just twelve days after taking office. The book suggests that Wilson's earlier diplomacy was vital for the Conservatives' successful negotiation of British entry by 1973. Despite the 1967 veto, the Wilson government continued to focus on Western Europe, to the diminution of previously important relationships with the United States, the Commonwealth and the European Free Trade Association. The book is focused on Wilson, and examines his personal role in European policy, demonstrating his control over the application, his management of cabinet, and his efforts to win over key European allies. It suggests that a key enabling factor for the pursuit of accession was the complacency of most ministers - with the exception of key foreign office ministers. On the continent, British diplomacy was crucial in creating an environment conducive to the eventual lifting of the French veto and success of the British application. It first facilitated meaningful collaboration with some EC member-states. Second, it prevented harmful developments in the Communities that might otherwise have made British accession more difficult. Wilson was crucially important to this policy and personally strove to ensure its success. Labour's defeat at the 1970 general election meant that the policy was carried to fruition by Heath and the Conservatives, but Wilson's efforts paved the way to eventual British membership.
The Official History of Britain and the European Community
Title | The Official History of Britain and the European Community PDF eBook |
Author | Stephen Wall |
Publisher | Routledge |
Pages | 690 |
Release | 2013 |
Genre | Business & Economics |
ISBN | 0415535603 |
This volume describes the events from 1963 up until the British entry into the Common Market in 1975. It will be of interest to students of British political history, European Union politics, diplomatic history and international relations in general.