On Thursday, Britons voted in a referendum to leave the European Union.
London, United Kingdom:
Britain's shock vote to leave the European Union is the culmination of an often troubled relationship over recent decades.
Here are key dates in Britain's ties with the EU:
- August 9, 1961: Britain makes its first formal application to join what was then the European Economic Community (EEC) under Conservative prime minister Harold Macmillan.
- January 14, 1963: France's then-president Charles de Gaulle vetoes the application for the first time. He says "Non" again on November 27, 1967 after Britain reapplied.
- January 1, 1973: Britain finally enters the EEC at the same time as Ireland and Denmark, after De Gaulle has left office.
- June 5, 1975: In a referendum on membership of the EEC, Britain overwhelmingly votes "Yes" , with over 67 per cent in favour.
- November 30, 1979: Prime minister Margaret Thatcher demands a rebate on Britain's contribution to the European budget in a speech which became best known for a phrase attributed to her as: "I want my money back!"
- September 20, 1988: Thatcher gives a landmark speech in the Belgian city of Bruges which became a rallying cry among eurosceptics for less European political integration.
- November 22, 1990: Thatcher is forced to resign. Her growing euroscepticism was seen as a contributing factor as many felt it was lowering Britain's influence in Europe. EU Commission chief Jacques Delors, a favourite target of the eurosceptics, is immortalised, shortly before Thatcher's exit, in the tabloid Sun's headline "Up Yours Delors".
- February 7, 1992: The Treaty of Maastricht, which underpinned the next stage of European integration, is signed. Britain secures an opt-out from joining the single European currency.
- July 23, 1993: Prime minister John Major holds a confidence motion in his government over the Maastricht Treaty after serious infighting in his Conservative Party over Europe. He is caught on camera calling eurosceptic ministers plotting against him "bastards".
- April 20, 2004: Labour prime minister Tony Blair, a europhile, announces his intention to hold a referendum on the European constitution. It is never held, after France and Denmark rejected it.
- January 23, 2013: Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron promises a referendum on EU membership if his party wins the next general election.
- May 22, 2014: The anti-EU UK Independence Party tops the polls in European Parliament elections with more than 26 percent of the vote, securing 24 seats.
- May 7, 2015: Cameron's Conservatives win a surprise outright majority in the election, clearing the way for a referendum.
- February 20, 2016: Cameron announces a date for the referendum after negotiating key reforms at a summit in Brussels.
- April 15, 2016: Referendum campaign begins.
- June 23, 2016: Britain votes by 52 per cent to 48 per cent to quit the European Union dealing a thunderous blow to the 60-year-old bloc. Prime Minister Cameron swiftly announces his resignation as world markets plummet.
Here are key dates in Britain's ties with the EU:
- August 9, 1961: Britain makes its first formal application to join what was then the European Economic Community (EEC) under Conservative prime minister Harold Macmillan.
- January 14, 1963: France's then-president Charles de Gaulle vetoes the application for the first time. He says "Non" again on November 27, 1967 after Britain reapplied.
- January 1, 1973: Britain finally enters the EEC at the same time as Ireland and Denmark, after De Gaulle has left office.
- June 5, 1975: In a referendum on membership of the EEC, Britain overwhelmingly votes "Yes" , with over 67 per cent in favour.
- November 30, 1979: Prime minister Margaret Thatcher demands a rebate on Britain's contribution to the European budget in a speech which became best known for a phrase attributed to her as: "I want my money back!"
- September 20, 1988: Thatcher gives a landmark speech in the Belgian city of Bruges which became a rallying cry among eurosceptics for less European political integration.
- November 22, 1990: Thatcher is forced to resign. Her growing euroscepticism was seen as a contributing factor as many felt it was lowering Britain's influence in Europe. EU Commission chief Jacques Delors, a favourite target of the eurosceptics, is immortalised, shortly before Thatcher's exit, in the tabloid Sun's headline "Up Yours Delors".
- February 7, 1992: The Treaty of Maastricht, which underpinned the next stage of European integration, is signed. Britain secures an opt-out from joining the single European currency.
- July 23, 1993: Prime minister John Major holds a confidence motion in his government over the Maastricht Treaty after serious infighting in his Conservative Party over Europe. He is caught on camera calling eurosceptic ministers plotting against him "bastards".
- April 20, 2004: Labour prime minister Tony Blair, a europhile, announces his intention to hold a referendum on the European constitution. It is never held, after France and Denmark rejected it.
- January 23, 2013: Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron promises a referendum on EU membership if his party wins the next general election.
- May 22, 2014: The anti-EU UK Independence Party tops the polls in European Parliament elections with more than 26 percent of the vote, securing 24 seats.
- May 7, 2015: Cameron's Conservatives win a surprise outright majority in the election, clearing the way for a referendum.
- February 20, 2016: Cameron announces a date for the referendum after negotiating key reforms at a summit in Brussels.
- April 15, 2016: Referendum campaign begins.
- June 23, 2016: Britain votes by 52 per cent to 48 per cent to quit the European Union dealing a thunderous blow to the 60-year-old bloc. Prime Minister Cameron swiftly announces his resignation as world markets plummet.
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