The Poisoned Chalice - Part 1 of 4 (BBC 1996)

[@michaeljohnelliott]

Twenty years after we made this - with a wonderful team - I look back on it as one of the professional achievements I am most proud if.

[@jonoessex]

You are right to do so! It's the best documentary on the EU I've seen.

[@HighKingoftheElves]

Superb documentary, in light of what you made, were you surprised by Brexit?

[@lennylaa1686]

By a quirk of fate (Joe), if you check on wikipedia, it looks like Michael sadly died about a month after the 2016 Referendum result.

[@blu3_enjoy]

Nice work

[@amulyamishra5745]

@@lennylaa1686 so is this one real?

[@richardhaldene1758]

A good series with all the original players giving their views. Whether you love or hate the EU, this is a series not to be missed.

[@mimnesko1]

My God, BBC documetaries were so much better in years gone by

[@lichtenhein]

Great to see this series again. An incredibly thorough political documentary and undoubtedly the most comprehensive account of Britain's post-war relationship with the rest of Europe ever produced.

[@johnappleby405]

Fascinating in the light of subsequent events! I missed this when first screened thank you for downloading it

[@jayedgardyson1920]

Thanks very much for sharing this. VERY enlightening.

[@jinnymudlark1815]

Amazing - just what there is that we don't know - seeing this after Britain's referendum of 2017 puts new meaning into that event - and this, too, first sighting and listening as it may be.

[@jinnymudlark1815]

... sorry - '2016' !!

[@MiaTheAngel]

Very helpful, thanks for posting this! Helped me to study for a final exam :)

[@johnclayden1670]

Splendid!

[@sean.butterworth]

De Gaulle’s intransigence was quite hypocritical, considering his overtures at the beginning of the war. In fact, there was definitely double-dealing going on. Why waste the British delegation’s time for so long if the decision to reject was a fait accompli?

[@BelatedCommiseration]

To be honest De Gaulles position has always amazed me. When he drew succour and support from the British, when no one else would have him and, without Churchills support, he could have easily been out manoeuvred as leader of the expatriate French forces by the likes of Henri Giraud. Yet, he still had the 'gall' to refuse and patronise a nation which had acted as a life support for him. Well...he was a French imperialist I suppose really...with all the baggage that entails!

[@rarevhsuploads4995]

DeGaulle kept the UK out because he didn't want a rival to dominate the smaller EEC group.

[@123brownjames]

BelatedCommiseration De Gaulle knew that France had no choice but to join Europe because it was part of a continent and would otherwise be economically weaker than Germany. He was giving the Britain the no because he didn't want them to suffer the same fate that France would have 🇬🇧

[@leegibbs1727]

I reckon he was sound in his belief that as the nation to hold out during the second world war we would go on expecting to be able to manage our affairs just fine on our own without Europe...then when we did eventually join as the empire dissolved we have since seemed to have a unecessery hostility to Europe. I reckon he could see that and didn't want any part in it

[@rarevhsuploads4995]

Interesting to watch this along with Nick Robinsons 'Them or Us' BBC documentary in the run up to the 2016 referendum on UK membership of the EU.

[@MrFrankfurt13]

And notice how history had changed by 2016 and the proposed Anglo-Franco union of 1940 had all become Churchill's idea...

[@lennylaa1686]

Also screened at the same time on the BBC was Jeremy Paxman's rather sardonic visit and views expressed about the EU and it's concept. He absolutely hit the bullseye when he simply said,...''So just what on earth do they do all day''? Undoubtedly, he spoke for the entire nation and the whole of Europe.

[@bimmeroo0906]

When Heath did eventually get us in, he accepted truly terrible terms which put us at a very severe disadvantage; he foolishly accepted any old deal however shabby. UK poured in millions to fund the CAP...which was monopolised by the French who gladly took 91% of the share...to fund thousands of small farm holdings. Under the 1970 CFP, UK fishing grounds became a common resource for all of Europe. France took full advantage. Heath had been done up like a kipper, the blundering fool was no match for the Franco.. German stitch-up.

[@johnking5174]

29:43 - Is the date here wrong for this broadcast, as I can't find at all on the BBC Genome website this broadcast airing on 3 July 1962. No mention of it at all in the BBC Television schedule for Tuesday 3 July 1962.

[@yusufige7030]

is Britain's a new European Venice.😈😈😈

[@brianhaskard1042]

Oh I say we have been robbed to! Did he go to my comprehensive?

[@cgpcgp3239]

It’s good native americans are sovereign. otherwise they would be overwhelmed by malicious litigation from states, businesses, individuals. tribes could allow some kind of remedy to protect consumers and hold tribal members accountable.

[@jonathansimmons5353]

@ 04.00 de gaulle wanted british citizenship for every french citizen, and the 2 countries merged into one- it was knocked back later- of course, de gaulle HAD FLED AS A COMMISSIONED OFFICER IN THE FACE OF THE ADVANCING GERMAN ARMY TO LONDON , and as france had folded in 6 weeks, wanted to give the french a free country- the uk. Aha!- after ww1 bailing the french out, de gaulle wanted to hand british citizenship to the french, a free country, when theirs had caved in and 50% wanted to be fascist. no wonder he got the shits later

[@Ronilac]

Repeating soundtrack: Prisoners' choir... interesting

[@oak699]

Wonderfull documentary, illustrating UK politicians and top civil servants were exceptionalist, condescending towards Europe and lying even then :p . "We may be honest", seriously?

[@Michael-ut6mu]

Well Britain finally got its wish and is out of the EU! Good luck!👍🍀

[@kennyryan625]

We’re delighted to be out 😃🥳 Already our economy is growing faster than Germany, France or the Eurozone. But It’s sad for countries like Ireland, France and Spain that still have to follow orders from Brussels and are therefore no longer independent nations ☹️ Hopefully they too will regain their freedom some day 🤞

[@IronFist.]

Considering De Gaulle was a coward who fled his country during the war he sure was an arrogant, pompous little git, wasn't he?

[@ingeposch8091]

the biggest flaw of the european union is the fact that our stupid politicians are trying to make it an absolute, political union... i have a great dislike for the e.u. as it has turned out to be, we should have maintained the economical community. the way the e.u. has turned out to be is a complete disaster and a huge waste of money, the european parliament is a monster!

[@ingeposch8091]

***** you're posting bullshit... i want freedom for every person in every part off the world. you don't know me or even anything about me....

[@ingeposch8091]

***** it might help if you adres it towards the person you want to "reach"... ;-)

[@leegibbs1727]

Our stupid politicians aren't trying to do anything? They can see that free trade and legislative cooperation on multilateral issues such as the trade itself, the environment and cross border crime etc is an advantage. Just because the daily mail call it a monster doesent make it so

[@kennyryan625]

The whole concept of the EU is based on a false premise - I.e. that Europe is a homogeneous ‘nation state’. It isn’t. It’s a continent comprised of many different nations, each with their own distinct and rich cultures, unique nationalities and political economies. That’s why the EU will ultimately fail.

[@LewisHamsterHammond]

De Gaulle, utterly contemptible.

[@elizabethsheffield6609]

ha! heath the man with 'history'...... ripe for Blackmail

[@belgravia85]

The UK shouldn't have joined in the first place. Charles de Gaulle was right all along in vetoing its membership. It was clear that Britain would've been the troublemaker once in. Thank God we only have 28 days before they get lost

[@Michael-ut6mu]

EU better off without Britain

[@michaelfarrell1153]

WE'RE A BUNCH OF LITTLE ENGLANDERS? NOT YET!!! @%#^ ×!

[@jamesb2166]

As French president petain said: "uniting with Britain is like shackling yourself to a corpse!"

[@jonathansimmons5353]

Petain was a nazi collaborator, ran a puppet government in france for the nazis- uk should have never gone into ww2, or at worst after Dunkirk, signed a truce with hitler and let the europeans deal with hitler until they freed themselves on their own.

[@anthonyowen1556]

Well, we had a choice. To be an equal, respected member of a federal united Europe, or to play second fiddle to the USA (which really couldn't give two hoots about a rapidly declining UK) So we chose to become America's poodle. Tragic.

[@jinnymudlark1815]

... and pay through the nose for the 'privilege' - financially and in terms of freedom.

[@Johnnycdrums]

We Americans see ourselves as puppets of the British Empire since 1905.

[@lennylaa1686]

Or how about being a free self-governing, and a democratic, sovereign nation free from the EU dictatorship? btw, under WTO we have a £35 billion trade SURPLUS per year with the USA compared to a trade DEFICIT of £70 billion per year with the EU to whom we pay £10 billion per year for the ''privilege''.

[@PNETriffid]

EU troops do not occupy Britain. Tens of thousands of American troops do, that is an affront to British sovereignty that the traitors in UKIP (supported by the US/Murdoch press) chose to ignore. Anthony Owen is correct the choice was 'partners-in-Europe or slaves-to-America and cowards like you chose the latter.

[@PNETriffid]

Mike Wright, the British education system is clearly in decline, as evidenced by your semi-literate response.

[@williamusrex6417]

Terrible narrator.

[@celticlofts]

That attitude of superiority has has ruined the UK. They'll soon be out of the EU and many will be glad to see the back of them.

[@jonathansimmons5353]

We'll be rejoicing and throwing street parties soon!.. Lol. No 1st world countries to come on board- just 2nd, 3rd world ones!!- albania! North Macedonia!! Turkmenistan!!..

[@RobertK1993]

British arrogant and ignorant people especially many Ulster Unionists DUP .