Why Harold Wilson Changed His Mind on the EEC
5 February 2027
2:00-3:30pm
Online or Rewley House 1 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JA
Event status:
Applications being accepted
Location:
Online or Rewley House 1 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JA
Dates:
5 February 2027
Study Format:
Online - live
Fees:
£15.00 – £18.00
Lecture by Dr Martin Holmes
Elected Prime Minister in 1964, Harold Wilson initially followed Hugh Gaitskell’s policy of staying out of the six-member EEC. But, influenced by colleagues such as Roy Jenkins and George Brown, Wilson had changed his mind sufficiently to make an application to join by 1967.
To Wilson, the main argument in favour was economic. He envisaged an increase in exports as a result of the UK being inside the tariff walls of the EEC, thus solving the chronic balance of payments problems of the Bretton Woods era. Along with Foreign Secretary George Brown, Wilson toured the European capitals to build up diplomatic support for the application.
Cautiously, he did not assume success as had Macmillan before him. But once again, De Gaulle issued a veto on the familiar grounds that the UK was too close to the United States and the unsuitability of its economy for EEC membership.
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Please note: enrolments for this lecture will close at 23:59 GMT on 2 February 2027. Enrolments for the whole series close at 23:59 GMT on 19 January 2027.
Book this course
You can opt to attend this teaching event either online (via a livestream) or in person at Rewley House, Oxford. You will be given the option of how you wish to attend during the enrolment process. You can only pick one option. If your preferred attendance format is fully booked, you can email us to be put on the waiting list. For those who wish to attend online, please read the IT requirements below before enrolling.
Contact the team
Phone: +44 (0)1865 270368
Email: events@conted.ox.ac.uk
IT requirements
We will be using Zoom for the livestreaming of this lecture series. If you’re attending online, you’ll be able to see and hear the speakers, and to submit questions via the Zoom interface. Joining instructions will be sent out prior to the start date. We recommend that you join the session at least 10-15 minutes prior to the start time – just as you might arrive a bit early at our lecture theatre for an in-person event.
Please note that this lecture will not be recorded.
Dr Martin Holmes – Tutor
Dr Martin Holmes is a member of the Senior Common Room at St Hugh’s College, where he was previously Lecturer in Politics for over 20 years. Additionally, he has been Director of the annual Nebraska at Oxford summer program since 1989. For Oxford Lifelong Learning, he has taught several syllabi on the Foundations of Diplomacy course over the past decade, as well as guest lectures for the Diplomatic Studies Program. A strong supporter of lifelong education, he has also been a regular lecturer for the University of the Third Age (U3A). A specialist in International Relations and European Integration, he is the author of seven books. His latest publication, a diplomatic history of 20th century Europe, was published by Routledge in August: From the Treaty of Versailles to the Treaty of Maastricht: Conflict, carnage and cooperation in Europe 1918 – 93.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| In-person event fee (includes tea/coffee and a pastry) | £18.00 |
| Virtual event fee | £15.00 |
Payment
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Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses
Module code: O26P118DSL
Please use the ‘Book’ button on this page. Alternatively, please contact us to obtain an application form.
You can also register for the whole series.
