Sir: I like to see the SPECTATOR set Out its
views on the present Common Market application so forthrightly and unambiguously. I only hope your opposition does not become so much of an obsession as did Biafra during the Nigerian civil war.
In the last two paragraphs of the leader (20 February), the point is made that whichever party opposes entry is likely to hold power for a decade thereafter. I would have thought that after 18 June last year, rash predictions of this sort were unwise. Even if it is true that the majority of people are opposed to joining the EEC (and for what reasons no one has successfully established), it would be wrong to assume that that majority will sup- port the political party which has 'opposed- entry. The perception which the electorate stores up to use once every four years will be able to detect the stink of betrayal of principles in favour of party political advantage.
If the Conservatives reject the Six's terms, it is unlikely in the extreme that the Labour leaders will approve the terms against the wishes of most of the party. Hence no problem.
If, as seems more likely, the Conservatives accept the terms, then the next election will not occur until after entry has been achieved, by which time anyone still opposing entry will seem to be crying over spilt milk.
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