C(75) 11
COPY NO
22 January 1975
CABINET
R E F E R E N D U M ON EEC MEMBERSHIP Note by the P r i m e Minister I attach a draft of the statement which I propose to make in the House of
Commons tomorrow.
We shall have an opportunity to discuss this at
tomorrow morning's meeting of the Cabinet.
H W
10 Downing Street
22 January 1975
Pifift! fi hp Kiti a f
BRITISH MEMBERSHIP OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
STATEMENT BY.THE PRIME MINISTER
Mr.
Speaker,
I will
the means by which
our membership o f
It
2.
is
make a s t a t e m e n t
the B r i t i s h p e o p l e w i l l
the European
our
renegotiation
the B r i t i s h
decide
the
about
issue
of
Community.
the d e c l a r e d p o l i c y of
the outcome o f
known,
with permission
t h e Government
of
that,
t h e terms of
p e o p l e s h o u l d have the r i g h t
once
membership
to
is
decide,
...
through
the b a l l o t
of
a Referendum,
of
t h e European
3.
by means e i t h e r
whether B r i t a i n
Community o r s h o u l d
people are
in the
members of
t h e Community.
and n e g o t i a t i o n
of
interests
it
British
Community.
this
outcome of
is
s h o u l d b e done by
membership
is
is
10 O c t o b e r
is
all
years
of
inhibiting
this
year.
June.
When t h e outcome o f
Government w i l l
whether f o r
will
decision
terms,
of
is
substance.
issue
to
the
in
the
practice
therefore
propose
to
possible
to hold
the
known,
or for withdrawal,
for
the
the
be.
the
should
the Community on t h e
t o t h e House i n due c o u r s e .
and
we i n t e n d t o h o l d
own recommendation
an o p p o r t u n i t y
House
about
the work o f
though i t w i l l
renegotiation
c o n t i n u e d membership of
no doubt p r o v i d e
question
tight
c o n s i d e r what i t s
of t h e r e n e g o t i a t e d
us in t h i s
which means
We s h a l l
British
discussion
Provided that
known in t i m e ,
timetable,
of
the
other
committed t o p u t t i n g t h e
the House a r r a n g e m e n t s which w o u l d make i t
Referendum on t h a t
of
nor of
and u n c e r t a i n t y
the summer h o l i d a y ,
than t h e end of
Britain
fifteen
an i s s u e which
renegotiation
Referendum b e f o r e
its
membership
on the d e c i s i o n
n e i t h e r of
After
The Government
the p e o p l e b e f o r e
5.
in
or
withdraw.
and d e l a y
in t h e c o u n t r y want t o s e e s e t t l e d ;
not l a t e r
a General E l e c t i o n
a Referendum.
Prolonged uncertainty
future
of
should continue
The Government has d e c i d e d t h a t
means o f
4.
box,
That
and w i l l
be,
basis
announce
announcement
t h e House t o d e b a t e
the
C
s f\n. * ir"! p rr IV] -T* I
6.
The c i r c u m s t a n c e s
matter
of
t h i s Referendum
lines.
The C a b i n e t
when t h e time comes t h e r e
(including
members of
and s u p p o r t
has t h e r e f o r e
a r e members of
the C a b i n e t )
the Governments
once the recommendation
to support
and speak i n f a v o u r
the Referendum
and t h e
the r u l e s
made by t h i s House.
weeks t o p u b l i s h
conducting
for
for
who do not
feel
a b l e to
whatever
a different
accept
i t may b e ,
has been announced,
be
conclusion
free
in
of
public
I t o l d the
o p i n i o n must
The Government p r o p o s e s w i t h i n
a White P a p e r on t h e r u l e s
t h e Referendum.
possible
matters
as t h e i n f o r m a t i o n
of
if
Government
t h e Referendum,
the t e s t
various
question
of
decided that,
campaign.
As t o t h e a r r a n g e m e n t s
on T u e s d a y ,
the
recommendation,
they w i l l ,
for
are unique;
i s one on which s t r o n g v i e w s have l o n g been h e l d which
cross party
7.
ft
courses
expenditure
and t h e G o v e r n m e n t s
of
conducting the p o l l ,
counting
a very
set
out
few
groups,
the votes
and
for
the
proposals
t h e Government,
by campaigning
be
and a r r a n g e m e n t s
The W h i t e P a p e r w i l l
policy
House
on such
the
arrangements
and announcing
the
result.
8.
The Government w i l l
Paper
of
in t h i s
House b e f o r e
c o u r s e be s e p a r a t e
d e b a t e which w i l l
negotiations.
Government
time f o r
the E a s t e r
from,
and w i l l
be n e c e s s a r y
a debate
on t h e
full
and Hon. Members of
account
That d e b a t e
precede,
the
on t h e outcome o f
this
House,
the necessary
of
the views
for
will
Parliamentary
the
enable
the
e x p r e s s e d by R t .
and by p u b l i c
legislation
White
recess.
The d e b a t e on t h e W h i t e P a p e r w i l l
to take
in d r a f t i n g
find
the
opinion
Hon.
generally,
Referendum.
r.
9.
The Government p r o p o s e s
Easter-time.
propose
If
that
As i t
all
will
stages
we a r e t o b e a b l e
holiday,
the B i l l
22 January
1975
the l e g i s l a t i o n
be c o n s t i t u t i o n a l
legislation,
s h o u l d be taken on t h e
floor
t o h o l d t h e Referendum b e f o r e
will
Houses and t o r e c e i v e
to introduce
need t o complete i t s
Royal
passage
a s s e n t by t h e end o f
of
around
we
shall
t h e House.
t h e summer
through
May.
both