By Hugo Gye PUBLISHED: 04:46 EST, 23 January 2013 | UPDATED: 05:38 EST, 23 January 2013 It is nearly four decades since the British people were last given the chance to have their say on Europe, in the first ever referendum held throughout the UK. And now that David Cameron has promised an in-out referendum on the EU by 2017, the parallels between the first European vote and the one potentially looming are striking. In the mid 1970s, Britain was slipping behind its European neighbours, as the government struggled to deal with runaway inflation and was forced to introduce a three-day working week due to severe electricity shortages.
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Poll on June 5, 1975 was the first referendum ever held in the UK
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Over 67% of Britons voted to stay in the European Economic Community
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Opposition to Europe was led by Labour left-wingers such as Tony Benn rebelling against Prime Minister Harold Wilson
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Close parallels to referendum announced today by David Cameron
Despite the brief campaigning period of just two months, the argument was fierce and divisive - but this time, it was @placeholder rather than the Conservatives which was torn apart by disagreements on Europe.
would be lost if labour markets were opened up, and urged the @placeholder to seek