Britain Applies to Join European Common Market

Britain Applies to Join European Common Market, Assures Nation It Is Merely a Sensible Administrative Adjustment

London, July 1961.

The Government has announced that Britain has applied to join the European Economic Community, a trading arrangement on the Continent involving France, West Germany, Italy and several other nations that have recently taken an energetic interest in rebuilding themselves. The Prime Minister has assured the country that this decision should not be regarded as dramatic, historic, or in any way an admission that Britain may have misjudged the post-war world.

Speaking calmly and at length, Harold Macmillan explained that Britain is not abandoning its traditions, its sovereignty, or its instinctive mistrust of Europe. The application, he said, is simply a matter of practical economics. Britain wishes to trade more efficiently, while remaining unmistakably British in posture, tone, and general disappointment.

Government officials were quick to emphasise that joining the Common Market does not mean Britain will become European. Britain will continue to drive on the left, eat plainly, and regard enthusiasm as faintly suspicious. Membership, it was explained, is a technical arrangement involving tariffs, quotas and forms, none of which will require the nation to enjoy itself.

Economic advisers have assured the public that participation in the Common Market will strengthen British industry, which has recently shown signs of needing encouragement. A senior Treasury source, speaking to reporters from BBC, noted that European economies appear to be growing rather briskly and that Britain would prefer to be involved in this growth rather than reading about it later.

Reaction across the country has been measured. In factories, workers expressed mild concern that European competition might affect wages, though several admitted they were unsure what European competition looked like and hoped it wore sensible shoes. In offices, clerks wondered whether this meant more paperwork. The answer, officials confirmed, is yes.

Opposition Members of Parliament have urged caution. One warned that Europe may expect Britain to compromise on matters of principle, such as agricultural policy or the correct length of a lunch break. Another asked whether British fish would be subjected to foreign regulations, a prospect described as “deeply troubling” despite no one being entirely certain what those regulations might be.

Supporters of the application argue that Britain’s world position requires adaptation. With the Commonwealth changing shape and international trade becoming more organised, it is suggested that Britain cannot rely indefinitely on reputation, memory, and the phrase “we managed before.” Europe, they point out, is nearby, increasingly prosperous, and unlikely to go away.

There is also the question of prestige. Britain has long played a leading role in world affairs, often by standing slightly apart and offering guidance. Some officials believe membership will allow Britain to influence Europe from within, while continuing to explain why things should be done differently.

The farming community has expressed concern that continental agriculture, which appears both efficient and cheerful, may present challenges. The Ministry of Agriculture has issued a reassuring statement noting that British farmers have always adapted admirably to circumstances, particularly adverse ones.

Editorials in The Times have urged calm reflection, reminding readers that negotiations will take time and that no immediate changes should be expected. Committees will be formed. Reports will be written. Britain will consider its position carefully, as is customary.

For now, the nation waits. Britain has applied to join Europe, not because it wishes to change, but because remaining exactly the same appears to require considerable effort. Whether this proves a sensible step or merely a polite misunderstanding will become clear in due course.

Until then, the Government asks the public to remain calm, carry on as usual, and trust that everything is proceeding according to plan, whatever that plan may turn out to be.

Authority sources available to readers include parliamentary records published in Hansard, official statements from the Prime Minister’s Office, and contemporaneous reporting by the BBC and national newspapers.

Auf Wiedersehen.

Lotte Heidenreich