In 1961, Macmillan and indeed much of Britain had realised that one of the best ways to move forward economically and internationally would be to join the EEC (European Economic Cooperation). The idea of increased exports across Europe was a large driving force behind this move, as well as certain international goals. Britain wanted to maintain influence in the 3 main global sectors: Europe, the Commonwealth and the USA. The Americans supported the British application but Britain was also determined to maintain relations and links to the Commonwealth,which made EEC negotiations very difficult.
The reasons for why Britain had not previously joined the EEC during the "open door period" in 1951-1957 are unclear. They could have been political or based on historic views of wartime Europe from Churchill and Eden, as they were men of the wartime generation.
Unfortunately, it was rather late for Britain to attend European integration as the EEC was already controlled by the Franco-German partnership. The French president and war hero, Charles de Gaulle, was determined to keep Britain and, by extension, American influences away from Europe, resullting in him vetoeing the application and rejecting it in 1963.
RESULT
Macmillan lost support as people lost faith in his skills as an economist and international statesman. They also lost faith in the Conservative party, as they had not thought to join the EEC previously.
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