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British Labour and The Hague ‘Congress of Europe’: National Sovereignty Defended

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

John T. Grantham
John T. Grantham
Affiliation:
The Open University
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Type
Communications
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 24 , Issue 2 , June 1981 , pp. 443 - 452
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1981

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References

1 European union is employed herein to describe the demands for establishment of a supranational organization such as, for example, a United States of Europe.

2 Beloff, Nora, The general says no (Harmondsworth, 1963), p. 41Google Scholar; Gladwyn, Lord, The European idea (London, 1967), p. 49; Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi, ‘Europe seeks unity’ (unpublished MS, n.d. [c. 1948]), pp. 1–15, in R. W. G. Mackay papers (British Library of Political and Economic Science), group 12, file 2.Google Scholar

3 .Labour party, Report of the annual conference (1918), p. 141.

4 McKibbin, Ross, The evolution of the Labour party, 1910–1924 (London, 1974), p. 91.Google Scholar

5 Cole, G. D. H., A history of the Labour party from 1914 (London, 1948), pp. 206, 295.Google Scholar

6 Attlee, C. R., The Labour party in perspective (London, 1937), p. 214.Google Scholar

7 For a detailed analysis of Labour party ideology in this regard see Michael Gordon, R., Conflict and consensus in Labour's foreign policy, 1914–1965 (Stanford, Calif., 1969), pp. 142–8.Google Scholar

8 Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi, An idea conquers the world (London, 1953), is a personal account of the Pan-European Movement. On Federal Union see James, Hennessy, comp., Britain and Europe since 1945 (Brighton, 1973), p. 20.Google Scholar

9 Memorandum, ‘The European movement and its affiliated organisations’, n.d. (c. 1950), in Mackay papers, group 12, file 6; Harold, Macmillan, Tides of fortune (London, 1969), pp. 154–5Google Scholar; Bryon, Criddle, Socialists and European integration (London, 1969), p. 27.Google Scholar

10 Churchill, Winston S., The sinews of peace, ed. Churchill, Randolph S. (London, 1948), pp. 44, 101, 134, 198–202; The Times, 20 Sept. 1946.Google Scholar

11 J. T. Grantham, ‘The Labour party and European unity’ (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of Cambridge, 1977), pp. 216–17. See also Henry, Pelling, Winston Churchill (London, 1974), p. 569Google Scholar; Macmillan, , Tides of fortune, pp. 154–6Google Scholar; Anthony, Eden, Full circle (London, 1969), pp. 29–30Google Scholar; and Joseph, Frankel, British foreign policy, 1945–1973 (London, 1975), P. 157.Google Scholar

12 Quoted in the Birmingham Post, 13 May 1946. See also the Sunday Times, 12 May 1946.

13 Daily Herald, 21 Sept. 1946.

14 The Times, Manchester Guardian and Daily Herald, 17 Jan. 1947.

15 Reynolds News, 24 Nov. 1946; Daily Herald, 25 Nov. 1946.

16 N.E.C. minutes (E.C.6. 1946–7), 22 Jan. 1947.

17 See the Daily Herald, 17, 29, 30 Jan., 4, 5 Feb., 16 May 1947; and N.E.C. minutes (E.C.8, 1946–7), 26 Mar. 1947.

18 Public Record Office, FO 371/67670, Z225/25/17. See also 450 H.C. Deb., 5 s., cols 1318–1319 (5 May, 1948).

19 Author interview with Mrs Sheila Hyland, sister of Mackay, 16 Jan. 1978. Federal Union,’Report of the executive and council from March to December 1940’, n.d. (c. 1941).

20 P.L.P. Europe group minutes, 2 Dec. 1947, in Mackay papers, group 8, file 3.

21 Memorandum, 27 Jan. 1947; and letters, 5 Feb., 3, 24 Jun., 20, 27 Aug., 23 Sept., 20 Oct., 4, 13 Nov. 1947, in Mackay papers, group 23, file 1; parliamentary all-party group on European union minutes, 17 Dec. 1947, 18 Feb. 1948, in Mackay papers, group 8, files 2 and 3.

22 Bevin's speech was generally believed favourable to European integration, although the limits of his commitment thereto were overlooked by many at the time. See 446 H.C. Deb., 5 s., cols 383–409 (22 Jan. 1948), and The Times, 23 Jan. 1948.

23 N.E.C. minutes (E.C.8, 1947–8), 28 Jan. 1948, and The Times, 15 Feb. 1948. Shinwell was then Labour party chairman.

24 P.L.P. Europe group minutes, 24 Feb. 1948, in Mackay papers, group 8, file 3; and letter, 19 Feb. 1948, in Mackay papers, group 13, file 4.

25 P.L.P. Europe group minutes, 24 Feb. 1948, in Mackay papers, group 8, file 3.

26 P.L.P. Europe group minutes, 3, 24 Feb. 1948, in Mackay papers, group 8, file 3; see also draft report of visit, n.d. (c. March 1948), and translation of French account of the visit, n.d. (c. March 1948), in Mackay papers, group 8, file 3.

27 Western union refers here to the Brussels treaty organization.

28 Letter, 10 Mar. 1948, in Mackay papers, group 12, file 4. No copy of the letter apparently exists in Labour party archives.

29 E.P.U. executive council, report of meeting in London, 9–10 Apr. 1948, in Mackay papers, group 8, file 2.

30 Except where otherwise noted the following is based upon copies of the relevant correspondence located in the Mackay papers, group 12, file 1, and group 14, file 4.

31 Delegates were named in The Times, 12 Apr. 1948.

32 Letters, Phillips to J. Hynd, 21 Apr. 1948, and J. Hynd to Phillips, 26 Apr. 1948, in J. Hynd papers (by courtesy of MrsJ. Hynd). No copy of the Phillips letter apparently exists in Labour party archives. A copy, addressed to Hale, is also located in the Mackay papers, group 12, file 1. For a complete list of Labour M.P.s attending see Notes on current politics (no. II, 1948), p. 21.

33 Hale probably referred to James Griffiths, party vice-chairman. However, Hale's reference is not completely clear.

34 N.E.C. minutes (E.C.II, 1947–8), 28 Apr. 1948.

35 For a complete list see the Daily Herald, 7 and 8 May 1948.

36 Letter, 25 Nov. 1946, in Mackay papers, group 23, file 1.

37 The right-wing Le Rassemblement du Peuple Francois (R.P.F.) under De Gaulle's leadership had made a strong showing in recent French municipal elections. The Times, 21 Oct. 1947.

38 450 H.C. Deb., 5 s., col. 1108 (4 May 1948).

39 Political and Economic Planning (P.E.P.), European organizations (London, 1959), pp. 52, 54.Google Scholar

40 446 H.C. Deb., 5 s., col. 398 (22 Jan. 1948).

41 450 H.C. Deb., 5 s., cols 1315–19 (5 May 1948).

42 Labour party, Feet on the ground (1948), pp. 6–7.