What determined the policy of Britain towards the Spanish Civil War?

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What determined the policy of Britain towards the Spanish Civil War?

In August 1936 Britain, along with 26 other European nations, signed the Non-Intervention Agreement, agreeing not to intervene in the conflict in Spain. While the other major powers, Germany, Italy and the Soviet Union soon began to flout this agreement, it became the bedrock of British policy towards the Spanish Civil War. It has been argued by many, however, that this apparent impartiality was in fact merely a method of ensuring the victory of Franco's Nationalist rebels.

There is little doubt that Britain's adherence to the policy of Non-Intervention harmed the chances of the Spanish Republic in the war. France, the other power that could have aided the Republic, was prevented from doing so not only by political difficulties within the Popular Front government but also the potential break-up of the Entente with Britain.1 This meant that the Republic was unable to acquire war matériel from these two sources, while the rebels received substantial aid from Germany and Italy; a situation which, despite the military supplies sent to the Republic from the USSR from October 1936, worked to the detriment of the Republic.

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