A veto by the French government on Britain's application to join the EEC in 1967 prompted a threat by London to form an Anglo-Canadian-American grouping to rival the Common Market. For the first six months of 1967 the British government pushed the French for approval of its application, but the president, Gen de Gaulle, was unshakeable in his opposition.
In January 1967 the British prime minister, Mr Harold Wilson, travelled to Paris declaring "we mean business" and advised Gen de Gaulle that it would not be "wise or proper" to force Britain to take steps "in defence of her own interests" if the application was blocked.
According to Cabinet papers from April 30th, 1967, the Foreign Secretary, Mr George Brown, dispatched British ambassadors to EEC countries and the US to report on "various alternative courses" to joining the EEC.
Three courses of action were considered: a decision to apply immediately, a decision not to apply or a decision to delay application "while seeking further information in bilateral consultations".
The advice that came back to Cabinet a few days later was that apart from France, which had "no policy" on Britain's application at that time, "all concerned would be opposed to further bilateral discussions and in favour of applying to join the EEC".
Perhaps buoyed by the reaction, the prime minister again went to Paris to lobby Gen de Gaulle and it was then the issue of a free trade grouping, perhaps even including Australia, New Zealand and Japan, was put to the French.
However, when de Gaulle challenged Mr Wilson to show his cards the prime minister's threat came to nothing. He was rebuffed by de Gaulle and told that Britain must "substantially change" before it could join the EEC. In particular de Gaulle pointed to Britain's close links with the US. The Cabinet was told that de Gaulle criticised Britain for siding with the US as soon as international tensions developed and that to the French government "this was inexplicable as it brought no benefit to the UK at all".
By November, the issue was raised in Cabinet once again. Ahead of a meeting of the Ministerial Council of the EEC, Mr Brown urged the Community to insist on fixing a date in January 1968 to open entry negotiations.
It was hoped that pushing for a date might force the French government to consider the application in public. Mr Brown told the Cabinet it would be a mistake, despite Gen de Gaulle's comments, to believe the French were prepared to formally veto the opening of negotiations. In response to de Gaulle's "hostile and malicious" comments "it was essential for the credibility and standing of the government to insist on our right under the Treaty of Rome to early negotiations for full membership".
However, France did veto the negotiations, although Britain eventually joined in 1973.