Britain and France were to merge.

[Paul Monk]

I saw this on the news today and thought it was great!

Formerly secret documents unearthed from the National Archives have showed Britain and France considered a "union" in the 1950s.

On 10 September 1956 French Prime Minister Guy Mollet arrived in London for talks with his British counterpart, Anthony Eden.

These were troubled times for Mollet's France. Egypt's President Gamel Abdel Nasser had nationalised the Suez Canal and, as if that was not enough, he was also busy funding separatists in French Algeria, fuelling a bloody mutiny that was costing the country's colonial masters dear.

Monsieur Mollet was ready to fight back and he was determined to get Britain's help to do it.

Formerly secret documents held in Britain's National Archives in London, which have lain virtually unnoticed since being released two decades ago, reveal the extraordinary proposal Mollet was about to make.
The following is an extract from a British government cabinet paper of the day. It reads:

"When the French Prime Minister, Monsieur Mollet was recently in London he raised with the prime minister the possibility of a union between the United Kingdom and France."

Full story
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6261885.stm

So what would out country be like now if this had happened? Would it have made any difference?

[Larry]

dear god Henry V, Admiral Lord Nelson, and The Duke of Wellington will be spinning in their graves at the thought..

[Lissa]

This is a fantastic story. Having rejected the French request to "merge", they then asked to be allowed to join the Commonwealth and adopt the Queen as head of state. Leading to this extract from further down the story

Seeing these words for the first time, Henri Soutou, professor of contemporary history at Paris's Sorbonne University almost fell off his chair.

Stammering repeatedly he said: "Really I am stuttering because this idea is so preposterous. The idea of joining the Commonwealth and accepting the headship of Her Majesty would not have gone down well."

I think we need more news stories which make academics almost fall of their chairs.

[Larry]

I find it unbelievable that any body could have seriously suggested a union between Britain and France, when you consider the history between us and the fact that we don't exactly like the French and their not to keen on us.

[Captain Tancredi]

To put it into context, though, between 1945 and De Gaulle's presidency, France was politically chaotic in the extreme. None of the constitutional models worked and in a situation familiar to aficionados of 'Allo Allo', the different splinter groups who'd resisted the Germans refused to work not only with those who'd collaborated but with each other. This is why De Gaulle was ultimately invited back to take over and rewrite the constitution to more or less suit himself, as he was seen as the only man who could keep the country together.

As something of a francophile, I can't help thinking that it might just have been wonderful- much the same way as some of the ideas behind the EU are wonderful until you let bureaucrats, lawyers and civil servants at them.

[Ralph]

Britain and France were to merge.....but they built Concorde instead...an engineering feat for the elite

[WhiteCrow]

I find it unbelievable that any body could have seriously suggested a union between Britain and France, when you consider the history between us and the fact that we don't exactly like the French and their not to keen on us.

Unlike say England and Scotland ...

I think it would have been interesting. And to be honest I think it would probably have worked.

I read news stories, and I'm not too keen on how France comes across, and I don't really like Jaques Chirac at all. But saying that I've never met a Frenchman (and esp a Frenchwoman) I didn't like. Most of that kind of French snobbyness we can't stand comes from Parisians, who most of the French cann't stand either.

[Raston]

[QUOTE=WhiteCrowUK;15252]Unlike say England and Scotland ...
[QUOTE]

Yeah, who'd have though sharing a King, Flag and language would have led to anything.

[Larry]

[QUOTE=Raston;15264][QUOTE=WhiteCrowUK;15252]Unlike say England and Scotland ...

Yeah, who'd have though sharing a King, Flag and language would have led to anything.

now that one might be a bit debatable..

[Raston]

now that one might be a bit debatable..

True, ok-sharing a Language; apart from the Scousers Geordies and Weegies.

[Captain Tancredi]

One of my Christmas presents from my mum and dad was a collection of anecdotes about Glaswegian tram conductors. I can understand about 50%, which would rise to about 65% if one of our hairy-legged Central Belters could explain what a nyaff is.

[WhiteCrow]

[QUOTE=Raston;15264][QUOTE=WhiteCrowUK;15252]Unlike say England and Scotland ...

Yeah, who'd have though sharing a King, Flag and language would have led to anything.

Have you not spoken to a Scot lately? They hate our guts.

I'm still traumatised by my last trip to Scotland where some friends took me to the premier of Braveheart. Oh I was so scared being the only English guy in this backwards cinema in Kilmarnock.

People came up to me (unaware) after saying "hey did you see that, hoots mon lets kill the English bastards", to which all I could muster thanks to my years of watching Take The High Road was a very weak "AYE" back.

[WhiteCrow]

Anyway werent we a French colony for a while? I keep telling my friends Robin Hoods French accent in Shrek is historically accurate ...

[Larry]

Anyway werent we a French colony for a while? I keep telling my friends Robin Hoods French accent in Shrek is historically accurate ...

ah yes but technicaly speeking the Normans, weren't French..

[Raston]

[QUOTE=WhiteCrowUK;15324][QUOTE=Raston;15264]

Unlike say England and Scotland ...


Have you not spoken to a Scot lately? They hate our guts.

I am a 'Scot'.

Your Braveheart issue seems to be partly related to the 'West', its a lot differant in the 'east'. Even i've had to put on a fake 'scottish' accent when i've been in parts of the west of Scotland, because having an accent that does not fit into the Rab C Nesbit version of 'scottish' is a crime as far as a lot of are concened. The west of Scotland is a place where you can be murdered for supporting the wrong football team! If you had been in a more enlightened part of Scotland, such as Edinburgh or the Borders i think you would have been hard pushed to find any anti-englishness.

Scotland unlike England does not have a North/South devide it has an east/west one. Which is a lot more marked.

[Captain Tancredi]

[QUOTE=Raston;15370][QUOTE=WhiteCrowUK;15324]

I am a 'Scot'.

Scotland unlike England does not have a North/South devide it has an east/west one. Which is a lot more marked.

In my experience it has both- there are enough folk in the Highlands and Islands who resent Holyrood being run by and for the Central Belt as Glaswegians who resent being run from Westminster (albeit with a Scottish PM, Chancellor and Home Secretary, but that's another argument).

About 65% of the work I do is for offices in Scotland and the general trend I've noticed is that basic courtesy doesn't exist when dealing with English colleagues and they're paranoid about not admitting to being wrong in front of the English. Scottish solicitors are also generally incapable of accepting that an Englishman can be right on a point of Scottish law and they can be wrong.

[Rob McCow]

But what would we have called it?
Great Fritain?
Brance?
Franglettere?
Frengland?
The Franco-British Union?
France And Territorial British Assosciate States, Treausres, Anglo Riches Domionon? (Acronym?)

[Raston]

[QUOTE=Captain Tancredi;15375][QUOTE=Raston;15370]

In my experience it has both- there are enough folk in the Highlands and Islands who resent Holyrood being run by and for the Central Belt

A good point, but i would take that as more a general rural v's urban argument, especially as labour is seen as a central belt party-where as the SNP, Tories and Lib Dems are an awful lot more popular with rural communities than labour, who they regard as being in government and not actually representing their views.

A week ago there was a big argument in Scotland about a Labour MSP who was appointed to the 'scottish cabinet' where her collegues had been openly stating how useless she was. Yet she *had* to be given a job, because an east coast labour MSP had resigned from the scottish cabinet and they couldn't be seen to be bringing in yet another 'west' central belt Labour MSP into the government. Its that divided up here.

Solicitors in general can't accept when people don't agree with them-they are always taught that they know everything.

[Larry]

[QUOTE=Raston;15370][QUOTE=WhiteCrowUK;15324][QUOTE=Raston;15264]

I am a 'Scot'. [/QOUTE]


Well I'm half Scots on my dad's side of the family and i'm very proud of my Scotish heritage..

. The west of Scotland is a place where you can be murdered for supporting the wrong football team! .

my dad was brought up in Glasgow during the 1920's/30's when the sectarian troubles between Catholics and protestants was far worse than it is today and he has told me that if you walked down the wrong street waring a green n white scarf youd be lucky to walk out in one piece.

[WhiteCrow]

I am a 'Scot'.

Your Braveheart issue seems to be partly related to the 'West', its a lot differant in the 'east'.

Don't get me wrong, I found the whole thing quite amusing afterwards. But at the time, I felt I was in a Scottish version of Deliverance.

I meet a lot of Scots who are always telling me how great Scotland is, and how there's no other place like it. Problem is they all live and work in Hemel Hempstead - wtf???