Correspondence concerning the Conservative Party's links with 'like-minded' parties in Europe following the UK's entry into the Common Market, including whether it should commit funds towards the creation of a European-wide federation to represent them, and membership of Nouvelles Équipes Internationales

Title

Correspondence concerning the Conservative Party's links with 'like-minded' parties in Europe following the UK's entry into the Common Market, including whether it should commit funds towards the creation of a European-wide federation to represent them, and membership of Nouvelles Équipes Internationales

Shelfmark

CCO 20/32/1

Summary

[The 'Committee on Links With Europe' held its first meeting on 22/01/1963, chaired by Party Chairman Iain Macleod, and included representatives from the Foreign Office, the Whips' Office, Conservative Central Office, Conservative Research Department, Conservative Overseas Bureau, and the Conservative Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, as well as Lord Crathorne, leader of the UK's delegation to the Council of Europe and the Western European Union. Following the veto to Britain's application for membership of the Common Market in January 1963, the Committee held one further meeting on 12/03/1963. A note in the file states that, 'This Committee fizzled out, without being formally disbanded, with the break down of the Common Market negotiations.']

Correspondents include:-

Allan, Robert, Conservative MP for Paddington South (1951-1966)

Beamish, Col. Sir Tufton, MP, Conservative Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee

Emmet, Evelyn, Conservative MP for East Grinstead (1955-1965), Conservative Overseas Bureau

Fraser, Sir Michael, Director, Conservative Research Department (1959-1964)

Low, Sir Toby, 1st Baron Aldington, Deputy Party Chairman (1959-1963)

Macleod, Iain, Party Chairman (1961-1963)

Smithers, Peter, Conservative MP for Winchester (1950-1964) and Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Foreign Office (1962-1964)

Includes Conservative Research Department reports for the Committee on Links with Europe:-

[LWE/1] 'Role of the Organised Political Groups in the European Parliamentary Assemblies (A Preliminary Study)', 15/01/1963 [Author: UB/DW]

[LWE/2] 'Outline Survey of the European Christian-Democrat Organization (NEI)', 15/01/1963 [Author: UB/RM/MH]

[LWE/3] Minutes of the Committee on Links with Europe, 22/01/1963

[LWE/4] 'The Party's Role after Brussels', 04/01/1963 [Author: UB/JN]

[LWE/5] 'Manifesto issued by the Christian Democrat Parties in the Six Belonging to NEI and to be discussed at the Rome Meeting on 9th April 1963', 04/01/1963 [Author: UB/JN]

Includes:-

Notes of a Council Meeting of the Nouvelles Équipes Internationales [precursor to the European People's Party; established in 1946 to represent the Christian Democratic parties of Europe] attended by Douglas Dodds-Parker, 26/11/1962

Report of a Conservative Overseas Bureau study-visit to Strasbourg, Sep 1962

Minutes of a 'Meeting on Links with Like-Minded Parties in Europe', chaired by Iain Macleod, 10/12/1962

Date

Nov 1962-Mar 1963

Language

English

Physical extent

1 file