LETTERS By mistake or on purpose
Sir: In his article 'Would Churchill have signed Maastricht?' (8 May) Max Beloff quotes Clarissa Avon's recollection of what she heard in Downing Street when her uncle and husband were prime ministers, as his main source for stating that Churchill `never envisaged' a Federal Europe. It is nostalgic to read her comment, but hearsay is not authentic historical evidence. Beloff ignores what I pointed out in The Spectator (Books, 20 February): that Churchill told the Commons in 1951, as Leader of the Opposition, that he was prepared `to con- sider abrogation of sovereignty'.
Churchill gave great impetus to the European Movement by his speeches at Zurich and The Hague. Both these speech- es owed much to his son-in-law, Duncan Sandys — an enthusiast for a Federal Europe. Later, owing to family problems, Churchill relied more on his other son-in- law, MP Christopher Soames, who was less enthusiastic.
Once Churchill became Prime Minister Anthony Eden, his Foreign Secretary, opposed Britain joining a European army or a supranational authority. This aroused a storm of protest from the Conservative del- egates to Strasbourg, who complained to the Prime Minister that Eden was contra- dicting statements made by three Conserva- tive ministers at Strasbourg the previous year with Churchill's blessing. They were Duncan Sandys, Harry Hopkinson and Harold Macmillan. All three complained in vain to Churchill, and entreated him to show that Britain meant to play a part in the military defence and economic develop- ment of Europe.
As Prime Minister, Churchill refused to support either the European army or the Schuman Plan, and turned his back on his stance as Leader of the Opposition when he had played down reservations that Britain could never become integrated with Europe.
Unless one believes he did not want a confrontation with Eden it is hard to explain this ambivalence. His Hague and Zurich speeches could have been muddled thinking, or a ploy to establish political ascendancy over Attlee by evoking again his wartime role as the great European leader. He may even have been carried away by his own oratory. I prefer to believe he deliberately and skilfully created the ideal of a United Europe.
Richard Lamb
Knighton Manor, Broadchalke, Salisbury
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