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| 1962, Dec. 21 |
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| Prime Minister Macmillan and President John F. Kennedy, at the end of a four-day meeting in the Bahamas, announced plans to replace Britain's Skybolt missiles project with U.S. Polaris missiles. | 1 |
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| 1963 |
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| First big hit song for the Beatles: “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” The musical group from Liverpool went on to become a major influence on the development of popular music and youth culture. | 2 |
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| Jan. 29 |
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| Britain's entry into the Common Market was vetoed by France at a Brussels meeting (See 1963, Jan. 29). The French were suspicious of British good faith, including its “special relationship” with the United States. | 3 |
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| Feb. 14 |
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| The Labour Party elected Harold Wilson as leader, succeeding Hugh Gaitskell, who had died on Jan. 18. | 4 |
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| June 5 |
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| John Profumo resigned as secretary for war, after admitting that he had lied (Mar. 22) in his denial of any impropriety with Christine Keeler. One of a recurrent series of sex scandals affecting postwar British politics. | 5 |
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| July 31 |
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| A bill permitting peers to disclaim their titles and relinquish membership in the House of Lords went into effect. | 6 |
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| Aug. 10 |
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| Britain again applied for membership in the Common Market. | 7 |
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| Oct. 19 |
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| PRIME MINISTER MACMILLAN RESIGNED because of ill health. Sir Alec Douglas-Home (formerly the earl of Home) was named to succeed him. | 8 |
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