ABSTRACT
There is a certain geometric elegance to the development of British policy towards Europe in the years 1955-60. In May 1955, the United Kingdom (UK) government was invited to join the six Continental nations that formed the European Coal and Steel Community in their deliberations on the future course of European integration. Not long afterwards it decided to withdraw, expecting the efforts of the Six to fail. The first report that contributed to that decision warned prophetically,
... if the six countries went forward with a common market on their own, it might have unfavourable effects on United Kingdom industry after a few years, and we might then be forced to join them on their terms. 2
