The effect of Britain’s entry into the Common Market, like that of China’s admission to the United Nations, will be good or bad depending on how these institutions are used.
The formation of a European Community of Ten and the re-entry of China into the world organisation represent the removal of obstacles and the opening of opportunities. But neither the Community nor the UN is an end in itself. They are only a way of moving towards a more manageable world.
The coincidence of these two historic decisions, coming together with Mr Brezhnev’s visit to France, illustrates the extent to which the world political scene and Europe’s role in it are now in a period of rapid change.
But the risk must be faced that the first political fruits of these decisions could be to paralyse effective international action in vital fields rather than to facilitate it.
Key quote
“The great thing about the NUS is the speed of its retribution. There are so many meetings that criticism of any policy moves is swift and often incisive… but these qualities of urgency and immediacy produce their own dangers.”
Jack Straw on his stint as president of the National Union of Students
Talking point
The letters of refusal pile up – from ads for salesmen, assistants, labouring jobs, hospital porters – and so the year goes on. You can get used to living off the State. They make no payment for effort spent in trying to pull yourself up from under their wing. It is our duty to be part of the “margin of unemployed”. I don’t like work any more. It’s not because it’s hard, Mr Heath. But because I’ve forgotten what it’s like.
Diary of an unemployed man by Roy Bainton, a jobless Hull labourer (now a published author)
