The former referendum, actually held in 1975 by Wilson's government, asked if the UK wanted to leave the Common Market, not join it. We joined in 1973 when Heath took us in without a vote. I wish people would get their facts correct (Anja/crystaltipps). Also, the UK agreed to join a common trading area, not a political union, as it is now, although that was always the intention for it to become from its inception!
There was the usual scaremongering in 1975 and people believed it. Prices rose considerably when we joined but, funnily enough, no one said that we 'crashed in-over the cliff edge' etc. I could name over a 100 companies which have gone bust or moved from the UK in the last 46 years and being inside the EU didn't save them.