Britain’s rocky past with our EU neighbours

SPLIT Thatcher at 1975 meeting

BRITAIN has always been divided over Europe. It was nearly as hard for us to join with its institutions as it has been to withdraw.

Labour Prime Minister Clem Attlee told MPs in 1950 he would not take us into the European steel and coal club of six and hand Britain’s “most vital economic forces” to an authority that is “utterly undemocratic and responsible to nobody”.

Tory Harold Macmillan sought European Economic Community membership but French

President Charles de Gaulle blocked it in 1961 and 67, accusing us of a “deep seated hostility” to “the European project”.

The wheel has turned full circle as we head for a ragged exit. 1973 UK joins the EEC.

1975 Referendum backs Britain staying in, all parties divided. 1979 Margaret Thatcher calls for “our money” back from Brussels. 1988 Thatcher’s Bruges speech sows seeds of Tory hardline opposition.

1989 Fall of Berlin Wall.

1990 PM John Major faces rebellions from Eurosceptics

Britain forced out of European Monetary Fund.

Maastricht Treaty seals “closer co-operation”, Britain opts out of worker protections. 1994 Eurotunnel opens.

1998 Good Friday Agreement ends armed conflict in N Ireland. 2002 Euro notes in circulation. 2004 EU opens borders to workers from new eastern states. 2006 UKIP leader Nigel Farage elected to European Parliament.

Bulgaria and Romania become members.

2013 Under pressure from Tory MPs, PM David Cameron promises new referendum.

UKIP wins 26 per cent of vote in direct European Parliament elections, deepening worries among Tory MPs.

Britain votes out by 52 to 48 per cent in an In-Out referendum.

High Court clash over Parliament’s right to vote.

Theresa May resigns after failing to get an exit deal through the Commons.

Boris Johnson wins landslide election on a promise to “get Brexit done”.