The Decision to Seek Entry into the Common Market - Professor Vernon Bogdanor
The political history of Britain and Europe during the 1960's: why Charles de Gaulle rejected Britain's attempts to join the EEC.
www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and...
This lecture analyses the background to Harold Macmillan's decision in 1961 to join the European Community, a reversal of previous Conservative policy. Labour opposed entry, although, in office after 1964, it too sought to join the Community. But Britain's second application in 1967, under a Labour government, also met with a rebuff from President de Gaulle of France.
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and...
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Пікірлер: 14
Regardless of whether you agree with his interpretation of history or not everyone should give him accolades for his ability to give hour long lectures and continue to hold peoples attentions.
I wonder why no one commented and why is it so low view of this great lecture of fact after all Brixit is the most important subject right now.
Very interesting, but one thing professor Bogdanor gets very wrong around 38:00 is that he omits the European Council and argues that the Commission is the equivalent of an EU government. It's not. Decisional powers lie very much with the council, which consists of elected heads of government responding to their national parliaments.
@nautilusshell4969
4 жыл бұрын
Erm, what he actually says is that the FEAR of successive British (and French) governments was that the Commission and/or the Parliament were to be in control, whereas the fact is that final decisions are taken by the Council.
Very good but he left where I think where the failure for the UK and Europe to come together lies with the Atlee government would not join the Coal and Steel Community as that meant surrendering the control of newly nationalised industries to a supra power. In the words of Herbert Morrison "the Durham miners wouldn't wear it". Had we joined then, the UK could have given the leadership that the 6 wanted from us and I certain France's agricultural industry would not have got the huge subsidies that it enjoys and has been such a bone of contention.
My grandfather had a DeGaulle mask he wore on Bastille Days till somebody threw a milkshake in his face & yelled "resist!" -----My grandpa happened to have a French loaf with him, & made short work of the little merde.
As unreliable as the French had proved themselves in WW2, why would other nations trust them to fulfill their obligations in any further endeavors? "Oui, oui, mes fous cousins anglais, we will 'ave your backs at all times, no problem. N'est-ce pas?"
@7macfly2
5 жыл бұрын
UK and USA wanted to make France a puppet state after ww2, why should french trust british ? they were an american colony at this time british abandonned french at dunkirk, murdered french at mers el kebir, nice job, n'est ce pas ?
@gchelem
5 жыл бұрын
Unreliable? Really? I just wish the other European countries had had the insight of De Gaulle and prevented the membership of the UK in the EU. We would not be in this mess today.