I was an idealistic young Europhile, and I believed Ted Heath when he said no question of loss of British sovereignty

From: R.HopkinsLewes Road
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Although coming from different sides of the Brexit debate, I have great sympathy for Mr Carmody who feels betrayed by our local MP. (“Manifesto was pro - Europe” Letters, February 8) click here

I too tramped the streets way back in 1970, campaigning for Edward Heath and his plans to join the EEC.

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I was an idealistic young Europhile, believing every word he uttered about there being “no question of Britain losing essential sovereignty” when, as Prime Minister he took us into the Common Market three years later.
 A Common Market – what a wonderfully reassuring term for an organisation which, even in 1970, was planning to become a full economic and monetary union, a state of Europe.

This was something which Heath could never allow to become public knowledge, but which he admitted to being fully aware of on BBC’s Question Time in 1990.

I imagine that a good few Leave votes were cast in 2016 by voters feeling a similar sense of betrayal to myself.