The First Referendum: Reassessing Britain’s Entry to Europe, 1973-75

In 1975 the UK voted ‘yes’, by 67%, to the European Community (EC). Since 1 January 1973, when the UK first joined, Edward Heath and Harold Wilson sought a fundamental transformation of the UK’s relationship with the EC in terms of membership and public opinion. Despite the majority in favour of membership, the transformation was never achieved. – .