The Impact of Europe on British Politics
Local Government & devolved governments
John Major & the Maastricht Treaty
Labour accepts Europe – the new Labour Governments 1997-2010
There is said to have been a British newspaper headline in the 1950s ‘FOG IN THE CHANNEL. CONTINENT CUT OFF.’ There certainly was a Daily Telegraph headline on 14 May 2001 GOD IS OPPOSED TO BRITAIN JOINING EU’s SINGLE CURRENCY
Britain has perhaps always seen the rest of Europe through a glass darkly, but we have the paradox that although Britain has been a member of the European Union for 41 years she is still often seen as the ‘Awkward Partner’, in Stephen George’s phrase, and British membership is more problematic now than it has ever been as the UK has voted to leave the European Union. This section looks at our historical relationship with Europe.
(thanks to Sean Carey and Jonathan Burton for the second headline in their article on the Press and Public Opinion on Europe Political Studies Vol. 52 No 3, 2004)
