[denphone]

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

Labour were in power all that time, from the mid sixties to very late seventies, it was them that brought in the three day week and them that sneakily signed us up for Europe was it

OB does seem to forget facts sometimes conveniently.

Responsibility for British policy during the 1960s was shared between the Conservative Government of 1951-64 and the Labour Government of 1964-70. There were three Prime Ministers during the period, Macmillan (Conservative 1957-63), Home (1963-4) and Wilson (1964-70). General elections were held in 1959, 1964, 1966 and 1970. During the 1959-64 Parliament, the Conservatives held a majority of just short of 100; at the start of the 1964-6 Parliament, the Labour Government had an overall majority of just three; and during the 1966-70 Parliament a majority of around 100.

The conversion of the Labour Government seemed to complete the construction of a domestic consensus on EC membership. Governments of both major parties had come to similar conclusions about the need to join.

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/politics/cbl/brit/scene.htm

Conservative Government, 1970–74

Heath took Britain into the Common Market (later renamed The European Union and again renamed The EEC) on 1 January 1973 after winning the decisive vote in the House by 336-244. It was, says biographer John Campbell, "Heath's finest hour."[60] Meanwhile, on the domestic front, galloping inflation led him into confrontation with some of the most powerful trade unions. Energy shortages related to the oil shock resulted in much of the country's industry working a Three-Day Week to conserve power. In an attempt to bolster his government, Heath called an election for 28 February 1974. The result was inconclusive: the Conservative Party received a plurality of votes cast, but the Labour Party gained a plurality of seats due to the Ulster Unionist MPs refusing to support the Conservatives. Heath began negotiations with leaders of the Liberal Party to form a coalition, but, when these failed, resigned as Prime Minister.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politi...970%E2%80%9374