Post-War Initiatives The United Kingdom has had a significantly different history and experience to that of its close European neighbours. In contrast to the latter’s experience in the First and Second World War, it has never suffered invasion or occupation. After World War II the UK’s power and prestige were undoubtedly diminished but it still […]
Category: Background to Withdrawal
First Referendum and Aftermath
Economic Crisis After World War II, the UK GDP per capita exceeded that of France and West Germany. The period from the early 1950s to the mid-1970s saw very high economic growth throughout the Western world in particular in the EEC countries. In contrast, United Kingdom lagged behind so that by the early 1970s, its […]
The Conservatives and Euroscepticism
Mrs. Thatcher’s First Goevernment Immediately on election as prime minister, Margaret Thatcher had commenced a campaign to reduce the UK contribution to the EEC budget. The common agricultural policy accounted for almost 70% of the EEC budget at that time. It had been established prior to UK membership, and its terms were much less favourable […]
Labour and Europe 1992-2010
Labour Switches to Supporting EU The Labour Party converted to a pro-European policy during the 1990s under the leadership of Neil Kinnock and then John Smith. Neil Kinnock favoured membership of the EEC and later served as vice president of the EU Commission. John Smith had defied the Labour whip in 1971 to vote in […]
Path to the Referendum
Conservative and opposition parties The Conservative party toyed with euro scepticism during its 13 years in opposition from 1997 and 2010. William Hague was elected leader in 1997 at the age of 36, defeating Europhile Ken Clarke emphasising strong opposition to the euro proposal. The Conservative party secured more seats than Labour in the 1999 […]
Countdown to the Referendum
The UK Prime Minister David Cameron promised in January 2013 that should the Conservative Party win the 2015 general election, that the UK government would negotiate more favourable terms for continuing membership of the UK and hold a referendum on whether the UK should remain in or leave the European Union. This promise did not […]
The Brexit Referendum Campaign
Leave Suppporters The “leave” campaign was strongly supported by a swathe of the UK media including the popular tabloid papers the Sun, the Star, the Daily Mail and Express as well as the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Times. Remain was supported by the Daily Mirror, the Financial Times the Guardian and the Times. Many […]