Anti-Common Market League
Encyclopedia
Get Britain Out is a British
Eurosceptic
organisation.
The group was set up in 1961 in response to the failed attempt by Britain to enter the European Economic Community
the previous year. Led by John Paul and Michael Shay, the group was initially restricted to Conservative Party
members. Its President Victor Montagu
courted controversy when he claimed that the British did not want to be led by "a bunch of frogs and huns", although the ACML soon distanced itself from xenophobia
, whilst also opening membership to anyone regardless of their political party affiliation.
Under the chairmanship of Sir Robin Williams (1969 to 1984) the group became a constituent member of the National Referendum Campaign, an umbrella movement associated with The Spectator
that included such disparate groups as the British League of Rights
, Ron Leighton
's Get Britain Out, the Scottish National Party
, Plaid Cymru
and the United Ulster Unionist Party
as well as leading politicians such as Barbara Castle
, Michael Foot
and Enoch Powell
. Following the demise of this broad coalition the ACML continued to operate, being particularly vocal in its criticism of the Common Agricultural Policy
and moves towards devolution
, whilst campaigning for free trade
with the world as a whole rather than just the European Union
. Under the chairmanship of Peter Dul and Presidency of Richard Body the group has worked closely with the Anti-Maastricht Alliance and the Campaign for an Independent Britain
The ACML is now affiliated to the latter organisation and appoints two members to its National Committee. (dead link).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Eurosceptic
EuroSceptic
EuroSceptic is the second album of British singer Jack Lucien. It was released in October 2009.Due to being an album influenced by Europop, it features songs with parts in different languages...
organisation.
The group was set up in 1961 in response to the failed attempt by Britain to enter the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
the previous year. Led by John Paul and Michael Shay, the group was initially restricted to Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
members. Its President Victor Montagu
Victor Montagu
Alexander Victor Edward Paulet Montagu, 10th Earl of Sandwich , known as Viscount Hinchingbrooke from 1916 to 1962, as the Earl of Sandwich from 1962 to 1964 and as Victor Montagu from 1964 to 1995, was a British Conservative Member of Parliament and right-wing politician.Montagu was the eldest...
courted controversy when he claimed that the British did not want to be led by "a bunch of frogs and huns", although the ACML soon distanced itself from xenophobia
Xenophobia
Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange". It comes from the Greek words ξένος , meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος , meaning "fear."...
, whilst also opening membership to anyone regardless of their political party affiliation.
Under the chairmanship of Sir Robin Williams (1969 to 1984) the group became a constituent member of the National Referendum Campaign, an umbrella movement associated with The Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
that included such disparate groups as the British League of Rights
British League of Rights
The British League of Rights is an offshoot of the Australian League of Rights founded in 1971. It is "anti-semitic and white supremacist" political group. The British League opposed the entry of the UK into the European Economic Community....
, Ron Leighton
Ron Leighton
Ronald Leighton was a British Labour politician.Leighton became an MP in 1979 by regaining Newham North East, which had been the seat of Reg Prentice who had defected from Labour to the Conservatives in the previous Parliament. He was opposed to British membership of the EEC and was Director of...
's Get Britain Out, the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
, Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
and the United Ulster Unionist Party
United Ulster Unionist Party
The United Ulster Unionist Party was a unionist political party which existed in Northern Ireland between 1975 and 1984.It emerged from a division in the Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party in the late 1970s...
as well as leading politicians such as Barbara Castle
Barbara Castle
Barbara Anne Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn , PC, GCOT was a British Labour Party politician....
, Michael Foot
Michael Foot
Michael Mackintosh Foot, FRSL, PC was a British Labour Party politician, journalist and author, who was a Member of Parliament from 1945 to 1955 and from 1960 until 1992...
and Enoch Powell
Enoch Powell
John Enoch Powell, MBE was a British politician, classical scholar, poet, writer, and soldier. He served as a Conservative Party MP and Minister of Health . He attained most prominence in 1968, when he made the controversial Rivers of Blood speech in opposition to mass immigration from...
. Following the demise of this broad coalition the ACML continued to operate, being particularly vocal in its criticism of the Common Agricultural Policy
Common Agricultural Policy
The Common Agricultural Policy is a system of European Union agricultural subsidies and programmes. It represents 48% of the EU's budget, €49.8 billion in 2006 ....
and moves towards devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
, whilst campaigning for free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
with the world as a whole rather than just the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. Under the chairmanship of Peter Dul and Presidency of Richard Body the group has worked closely with the Anti-Maastricht Alliance and the Campaign for an Independent Britain
Campaign for an Independent Britain
The Campaign for an Independent Britain is a cross-party Eurosceptic campaign group which calls for the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.-Origins:...
The ACML is now affiliated to the latter organisation and appoints two members to its National Committee. (dead link).