ABSTRACT
As the March 1966 election approached, Wilson publicly altered Labour’s position towards the European Community, stating that Britain would be ready to enter Europe ‘if safeguards for our interests can be negotiated’.1 Wilson did not in fact reiterate the conditions Labour would seek, but argued that ‘Tory terms’ would lead to an unacceptable increase in the import bill and disruption of Commonwealth trade, adding that Britain should never accept supranational control over foreign and defence policies.2 In addition, he was able to play on recent French suggestions that Britain might be able to join the Community to make Heath look weak, whilst dismissing France’s claims, a goal consistent with the Foreign Office’s desire to uphold the integrity of the Atlantic Alliance.3
