AdvertisementGreat Britain's Long RetreatJune 22, 2016Greg MyrefacebookEmailGreat Britain has always been ambivalent about being tied to Europe. The U.K. joined the European Economic Community in 1973, and two years later, it held a referendum on whether it should leave. Here, members of the Labour Party hold a 1975 news conference to explain why they favor pulling out of the European body. However, U.K. citizens voted 2 to 1 to remain in the EEC at that time. (Getty Images)