New Zealand, Britain, and European Integration Since 1960: Staying Alive (Britain and the World)

This book explores how New Zealand, a small country almost as far from Western Europe as it is possible to be , assumed political importance in Britain’s accession to the European Community vastly out of proportion to its size, proximity and strategic position. At several points in accession negotiations, the issue of New Zealand’s continued trade with Britain threatened to derail UK Government attempts to join the Community. This issue also interacted with the broader context of the Cold War, economic shocks and decolonisation, materially affecting the terms of entry into the European Community, and altering Britain’s relations with its European partners and the British public’s perceptions of British membership. After entry, New Zealand continued to resurface as a continued source of tension between Britain and an integrating Europe. The role that New Zealand played sheds light on Britain’s attempts to retain global influence after the demise of its formal empire. Contributing to a growing body of research which challenges the traditional historical narratives of British ‘decline’ and colonial ‘independence’ in the second half of the twentieth century, this book fills an important gap in the historiography of Britain following the 1973 enlargement of the European Communities. Preface Acknowledgements Competing Interests Ethics Approval Contents About the Author Abbreviations 1 Introduction A Fight for Life? Methodology Historiographical Contribution and Methodology Historiography—The British Perspective Historiography—The New Zealand Perspective 2 New Zealand and Britain’s Failed Accession Attempts, 1960–1969 Introduction—The Sandys Communiqué The Anglo–New Zealand Relationship in Historical Perspective New Zealand’s Response to European Integration Setting a Template—Negotiations for European Enlargement 1961–1963 The British View of New Zealand’s Case Attempts at Liberalising Agricultural Trade in the 1960s Conclusion 3 Negotiations for European Community Enlargement, 1970–71 Introduction—the ‘Red Bridge’ British Negotiating Objectives—Back to the Future New Zealand Objectives—Driven by Domestic Politics Entering the 1970–71 Negotiations—‘a Fight for our Economic Lives’ Conclusions 4 New Zealand, the European Communities Act and the Treaty of Accession, 1971–72 Introduction—‘Closest Possible Relations’ Changing International Relations—Cause for Optimism? Political Considerations Conclusions 5 New Zealand and the First Year of British Membership in the European Community, 1973 Introduction—‘Fanfare for Europe’ British Objectives in the First Year of Membership British Relations With the Old Commonwealth New Zealand’s Enduring Political Importance in Britain New Zealand Objectives in the First Year of Membership New Zealand’s Campaign for Monetary Compensatory Amounts (MCAs) Conclusions 6 Renegotiation, Referendum and the Review of New Zealand’s Special Arrangement, 1975 Introduction—‘Help for the Commonwealth’ British Government Objectives in 1974–1975 New Zealand Government Objectives in 1974–1975 New Zealand, Renegotiation and the Dublin Summit At the Dublin Summit New Zealand and the Referendum British Support for New Zealand After the Referendum A Change of Government in New Zealand Conclusions 7 Lamb is Shepherded into the CAP and New Zealand’s Special Arrangement is Extended, 1979–81 Introduction—‘The whole world’s watching’! British Government Objectives, 1979–81 Britain’s Sheepmeat Objectives Britain’s Butter and Cheese Objectives New Zealand Government Objectives, 1979–81 New Zealand Sheepmeat Objectives New Zealand Butter and Cheese Objectives Towards Sheepmeat Regulation Extending the Special Arrangement for New Zealand Butter A Solution for New Zealand Cheese Conclusions 8 Cold War Endings to Brexit and Free Trade Agreements, 1985–2023 Opération Satanique Change or Continuity in the Anglo-New Zealand Relationship? New Zealand and the European Union Brexit Free Trade Agreements: A Fresh Start? Conclusions 9 Conclusions Limits of the ‘Decline’ and ‘Independence’ Narratives Explaining Continued Anglo-New Zealand Collaboration Why Did Britain Help New Zealand? Evaluating New Zealand’s Effects on European Integration Historiographical Contribution and Avenues for Further Study Bibliography Primary Sources Bibliography Index