By Jake Ifrah, Marcus James Bragg & Peter Prickford

1975 REFERENDUM

The conservative prime minster, Edward heath, took the UK into the EEC in January 1973 after president De Gaulle of France had blocked UK

membership twice in the 1960s.Labour party divided in two on EEC accession.Labour- Decision through ballot box whether to remain in EEC (European Economic Committee)Labour party feared membership to EEC : large

differentials between the high price of food under the Common Agricultural Policy, low prices

prevalent in Commonwealth markets, loss of economic sovereignty, freedom of governments to

engage in socialist industrial policies.

BACKGROUND

Majority of conservative party in favour, including newly elected Margret Thatcher.

At labour party conference, 2:1 margin rejecting membership.

The government distributed pamphlets to every household in Britain written by the official Yes and No

campaigns.The communist Morning Star was the only notable

national daily to back the "No" campaign. Every other British press was in favour of “yes campaign”.

The confederation of British industry backed “yes” campaign with funding.

CAMPAIGN

National Results

YesNo

1975 REFERENDUM RESULTS

• TURNOUT:- 64.5%

• Do you think the UK

should stay in the

European Community

(Common Market)?

Yes:- 17,378,581

No:-

8,470,073