Andrew Marr writes in The New Statesman (HERE) reviewing a newly published book about the 1975 referendum. He quotes some words from Margaret Thatcher speaking during the original campaign which are even more true today than they were then. She was leader of the opposition at the time and in a strange parallel with Jeremy Corbyn, accused of not campaigning strongly enough in favour of continued British membership of the then EEC. These accusations amazingly came from the Daily Express as well as other right wing newspapers.
This is what Thatcher said in 1975:
“If Britain were to withdraw [from the EEC], we might imagine that we could regain complete national sovereignty. But it would, in fact, be an illusion. Our lives would be increasingly influenced by the EEC, yet we would have no say in decisions which would vitally affect us.”
Bear in mind the EEC was then nine countries but is now 28 plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein (EEA) as well as Switzerland (EFTA) and Turkey in a customs union. Another five accession countries are expected to join (HERE) and there is also an association agreement with The Ukraine. Compared to the position in 1975 we are now much smaller, and the EU much larger - and getting bigger all the time.
If Brexit goes ahead, in a few years time when the new accession countries join we will be completely unique as the only European country dealing with the EU under a free trade agreement (FTA). This FTA will almost certainly include commitments to comply with a lot of EU regulations and directives - if not we won't even get as far as a trade deal at all and be forced back to WTO terms - and countries like Albania will have more influence on the European market than we will. It is complete madness.
Whatever you think of Margaret Thatcher, she would never have contemplated a referendum and certainly not one on which our continued membership of the single market and customs union was at stake.
