United Kingdom referendum, 1975

The United Kingdom referendum of 1975 was a postlegislative referendum held on 5 June, 1975 in the whole of the UK over whether there was support for the UK to stay in the European Economic Community, which the UK had entered in 1973, under the Conservative government of Edward Heath. Labour's manifesto for the 1974 general election included a pledge for a referendum, so after Labour won under Harold Wilson, the referendum was held.

Party support

The "Yes" campaign was supported by Wilson and most of the cabinet (including Denis Healey, the chancellor of the exchequer; James Callaghan, the foreign secretary; and Roy Jenkins, the home secretary), by Margaret Thatcher and the majority of the Conservative Party, and by the Liberal Party. But some members of of the cabinet, among them Michael Foot, Tony Benn, Peter Shore and Barbara Castle campaigned for a "No" vote, as did many backbench Labour and a few dissident Conservative MPs, among them Enoch Powell.

Results

The electorate were asked to vote yes or no: 'The government have announced the results of the renegotiation of the UK's terms of membership of the European Community. Do you think that the UK should stay in the European Community?'

See also

• Referendums in the United Kingdom
• UK general election, 1974 (February)
• UK general election, 1974 (October)

External links

• Copy of government pamplets for the electorate