Thread by @Helenreflects

The contrast between the 1971 EEC membership for the UK white paper and the 2018 Brexit white paper is very stark. Here's the 1971 white paper
doortofreedom.uk/wp-content/upl…
(sorry, it's on a pro-Brexit website, but ironically, the clearest copy of the white paper I could find) 1/

Already a brief look at the Table of Contents of the 1971 white paper shows we're dealing with a different kettle of fish compared to the 2018 WP. Here's part 1 laying out economic *and* political reasons for why the UK government believed it was in the UK's interests to join 2/

Compare to 2018 WP: no detailed context on why the UK should leave the EU. Just a brief summary and some waffle "The Government will have delivered on the result of the 2016 referendum – the biggest democratic exercise in this country’s history." assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/upl… 3/

Here's part of the 2018 WP's ToC. Note how there is no context, but stuff about economic partnership, security partnership and so on. As the EU negotiators were saying this doesn't sound like ending a relationship, but like a country applying for EU membership! 4/

Looking at the 1971 white paper, there's a clear recognition of why the UK did not join the EEC when it was founded “The realities of our position in the world, and the similarities between our position and that of other Western European countries, were masked." 5/

"...Our economy had suffered less disastrously than those of most other Western European countries as a result of the war: nor did we suffer the shock of invasion. We were thus less immediately conscious of the need for us to become part of the unity in Europe" 6/

"and we were preoccupied with the changes in our relationship with the countries of the Commonwealth" (OK this is as close as the UK will come to coming to terms with its Empire past) - a far cry from the 2018 WP about UK ready to "seize the opportunities of global trade." 7/

Also very interesting to see this contrast. In 1971 the UK seemed to realise it was not only up to them if they could join, or under what terms. They were humbled by 2 failed attempts to join the EEC.
Here's art 5 of the 1971 WP: 8/

By contrast in 2018, the UK is calling for pragmatism and compromise. No empathy or any consideration for the EU just me, me, me, and you'll listen to me because I'm being so reasonable. 9/

As @fotoole writes, these white papers set out 2 very different visions of the UK's place in the world. The first one is a realist one, looking at changing geopolitical situations. 10/
irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan…

The 2018 WP, @fotoole contends, does not set out any vision at all. While that's true, there is still a vision underpinning it, which is a kind of contradiction: the UK as a sovereign nation that doesn't need to play by anyone else's rules 11/

E.g., here from the 2018 WP
"It would end free movement, taking back control of the UK’s borders.
It would see the UK step out into the world, driving forward an independent trade policy by striking trade deals with new friends and old allies." 12/

At the same time they want a deep partnership. Now how can you work with others, if those others have no say in what you do? (this is also the case for trade deals, e.g., in the Switzerland-China trade deal, Switzerland had to make concessions to China in opening its markets) 13/

Those old friends, that's the old British empire, with which the UK still has not come to terms. But can they be bossed around to the same extent as before, and even if the UK could, is that a desirable state of affairs? 14/
See here @GKBhambra's take

Shall the UK offer better terms for immigration for those old friends, for instance, will they still devastate the lives of Indian skilled workers because of an error on their tax returns? 15/
theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/m…

I somehow doubt it (I hope so but I doubt it).
We need an urgent conversation on the UK's place in the world. No more slogans about taking back control of laws and border but an honest conversation about the tradeoffs we need to make in today's interconnected world 16/

Increasingly, it is the case that one needs to choose between
- being a rule maker together with others (e.g., Belgium)
- being a rule taker and having more autonomy (e.g., Norway)
The writers of the 1971 WP understood this.
Brexit Britain needs to understand it as well.
/ends