EU referendum... lessons from 1975: Michael Cockerell - BBC Newsnight

The last referendum in the UK on the issue of Europe was on 5 June 1975. Almost exactly two-thirds voted in favour of staying. Lots has changed since then, but there are also many relevant parallels as veteran film maker Michael Cockerell explains.

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[getrog]

It all sounds very familiar. I didn't care much for Thatcher in the long term but she made some very insightful and prophetic predictions especially about the Euro.

[Shemmie]

Interesting to see how much money was thrown at the "In" campaign.

[Mascherina]

What a difference between the 1975 and 2016 referenda! The name-calling among present-day politicians (and commentators in the media, and yes, here on YouTube), is just disheartening.

[poodtang]

Thatcher was for a economic union of Europe NOT a political one.
Big difference.

[maxheadrom]

Ian Pasley and Enoch Powell alongside members of the Labour Party?

[stringx]

Tony Benn was right in his prediction; in that half a million jobs would be lost, this was right because we instantly lost our fishing industry, from which the UK never recovered. And food prices rocketed, and we never really got over that either. The Whole thing was nothing but a scam.
A brexit would mean the UK recovering it's fishing grounds, providing hundreds of thousands of jobs. countering some of the job losses, leaving the EU.

[edsmith]

I think this is the only Time I agree with Tony Benn and disagree with Thatcher!

[Urko]

Voted to stay in the COMMON MARKET, not the EU.

[nifralo]

"Better to lose a little sovereignty than to lose a son or a daughter" despite the fact the previous sons and daughters who died so we would have any sovereignty and not be Germany's biggest island.

[Jonchess]

The case for Britain remaining is surely much weaker now as a result of Britains diluted say in its running of the Union ie 1 Commisioner in 8 (then) as opposed to 1 in 28 (now), the damage caused to our public services through uncontrolled immigration(not an issue then). Probably the collapse of the Soviet block in 1990 was the biggest change as it left many impoverished Eastern European nations in dire financial straits seeking entrance to the EU which has been the main driver of immigration into Britain-Poland, Hungary and others.As a result of this major change the balance may have swung away from Britain being a winner from the Union to being damaged by it.Also trade has swung away from EU as it has been mired in recesssion compared to the rest of the world.

[mantamanta]

If we stayed in the EU (eu not Europe) then the main agenda is to even out the balance of power that some countries hold and distribute it amongst other countries. the same with each countries wealth. As only britain and germany contribute to the EU we can see where this will lead. britain and germany will eventually be a lot worse off, although as Germany is steering the EU then its not as big a problem for them as it is the UK. The EU unelected unacountable and ran by germany. Sound familiar?

[garrysimpson]

41 years on nothing changes! Except we had no Farage or Johnson.

[clowncarqingdao]

Around 03:15 - Interesting to compare Roy Jenkins "good for British politics" comments with Theresa May's approach.

[DominicNaylor]

Would love to see that Panorama head-on debate between Benn and Jenkins.

[WestYorkshireGREAT]

I have never seen anything more British!

[andrewhay]

Yep, the far-left and the far-right give you the same results in the end. In 2016, the further you head away from the centre, the stronger the support for exiting becomes.

[mogznwaz]

It’s always easier to sell a ‘keep the status quo’ vote than to ask people do something more radical. That’s why joining the EEC without a referendum then allowing a vote to remain in or leave (a ‘negative’ choice) was so cynical.

[maxheadrom]

I don't know what the question is but all I can is Yes!

[blackdagger]

To put things in perspective, I would first like to say that I do not have any driving political inclinations. I am not Socialist, Nationalist, Communist, Zionist, Fascist or other. But I am British and feel that we are being pushed into the EU, not for our benefit, but because the rich and powerful favour it for some reason. Who are these 'Globalists'? Who owns the Central Banks, Multi-National Corporations and the Lion's Share of the Land and Property in this world? Are we, our children and grand children to be driven back into Serfdom that our forefathers struggled and free themselves from?

[MBKillrCat]

A lot has changed since then. The union was greatly different then, as was the political climate, and I believe were Thatcher alive today, she'd have been at the head of the Leave campaign.