The report on Saturday about the EU summit brought to mind General Charles De Gaulle’s opposition to British entry into the then EEC. In November 1959 in a speech in Strasbourg the General announced his vision of “a Europe from the Atlantic to the Urals” – this was interpreted as excluding the UK from a future Europe.

In 1963 De Gaulle vetoed the British application to join the EEC because he thought the UK lacked the necessary political will to be part of a strong Europe. He again rejected the British entry when they next applied to join the community in December 1967 saying that sooner or later the British would always do what was in their best interests.

After De Gaulle left office the UK applied again and became a member of the EEC in January 1973.

Time has proved De Gaulle was right in not accepting the UK into the fold of the EEC (later EU) as he always maintained that the UK was not a team player.