24/2/25
British Politics: Britain and the EU Lecture 9 - Dr Sean McDaniel.
Part 1: An Awkward Partnership
● Gowland: Britain’s relationship with the EU ‘the single most controversial subject in
British politics during the past 70 years’.
The post-War rebuilding of Europe
● EU decimated by War
● European Project designed to promote peace, stability and growth.
● Funded by $13.3 billion US Marshall Aid.
● 1949 Council of Europe established.
● 1950 Schuman Plan - calls for the establishment of ‘a community of interests’.
● 1952 European Coal and Steel Community.
● 1957 - Treaty of Rome - Eurotram and European Economic Community.
The View from Britain
● British political leaders not keen on EC. WHY?
● UK seen as ‘a great power’. War its ‘finest power’.
● Empire and Commonwealth interests.
● UK economy growing, Europe was fractured and poor.
● UK-US ‘special relationship’
● Distinct political histories and cultures.
● Domestic politics - neither Labour nor the Conservatives saw Europe as the answer.
● Franks: ‘Britain is going to continue what she has been, a great power’.
Decline and a Change of Perspective
● 1956 - MacMillan (ChX) rejects idea of joining EC,but by 1961 applies to join as the
PM.
● Complete reversal of position between 1955 & 1961.
● Suez Crisis - November 1956 - UK no longer a great power.
● Decolonisation - ‘the winds of change’.
● Decline of Commonwealth trade.
● Weakness of British economy - e.g. National Plan, while Europe growing fast.
● UK relative economic decline boosts case to join.
The 3 Applications
● Conservative PM, MacMillan, applies in 1961. Vetoed by French President Charles
De Gaulle (CDG).
● CDG views UK political and economic trajectory as incompatible with EC.
● Labour PM WIlson applies again in 1967. CDG vetoes again.
, ● Conservative PM, Heath, successfully reapplies again in 1971. No conditions
applied. CDG is dead!
● UK joins EC in 1973, along with Denmark and Ireland.
1975 Referendum
● 2 years after entering the EC, Harold Wilson holds a referendum. Should the UK
remain in the EC?
● Labour divided - Wilson needed to unite factions e.g. Bennie left anti-EC.
● 1962 - Labour leader, Gaitskell, joining EC would mean the ‘end of a thousand years
of history’.
● Some Tories viewed EC as bulwark against Left Labour programme.
● Made Britain look unreliable and unsure of its own decisions and population.
● ‘Yes’ campaign wins 67% of the vote.
An awkward partner: the British position
● Even once in the EC/EU, Britain seen as an ‘awkward partner’. (George, 1990).
● UK late to membership
● Domestic politics holds back pro-Europe stance.
● Westminster ‘winner takes all’ culture not suited to EU compromise.
● Ideological preference for UK-US special relationship.
Thatcher and the EU
● Thatcher complicated the relationship with the EU that evolves.
● Becomes MP in 1959 and initially pro-EC, as majority of Conservatives.
● Idea of EC as an integrated trading bloc appeals to liberal, pro-capitalist views.
● EC could help to ensure the spread of capitalism at the time of Communist threat.
● It could also expand markets for UK trade into the continent. Larger markets for
imports and exports.
Thatcher and the British Budgetary Question
● First part of her PMship was defined by the British Budgetary Question (BBQ).
● UK 2nd largest net contributor in 1979 and due to become the largest.
● Dublin EC Meeting in 1979: ‘I want our money back’.
● Rejects £350 million annual rebate offer.
● Stronger hand for Thatcher post 1983 General Election, wins rebate at Fontainebleau
EC meeting in 1984.
● Equated to c.66% net reduction in UK contribution which was a big success for
Thatcher.
The single market, not social Europe.
● President of EC, Jacques Delors, relaunches EC with 1985 White Paper - SEM and
‘social Europe’.
● Mid-80s still supportive: says Britain ‘ahead of pack’ in support for SM.
British Politics: Britain and the EU Lecture 9 - Dr Sean McDaniel.
Part 1: An Awkward Partnership
● Gowland: Britain’s relationship with the EU ‘the single most controversial subject in
British politics during the past 70 years’.
The post-War rebuilding of Europe
● EU decimated by War
● European Project designed to promote peace, stability and growth.
● Funded by $13.3 billion US Marshall Aid.
● 1949 Council of Europe established.
● 1950 Schuman Plan - calls for the establishment of ‘a community of interests’.
● 1952 European Coal and Steel Community.
● 1957 - Treaty of Rome - Eurotram and European Economic Community.
The View from Britain
● British political leaders not keen on EC. WHY?
● UK seen as ‘a great power’. War its ‘finest power’.
● Empire and Commonwealth interests.
● UK economy growing, Europe was fractured and poor.
● UK-US ‘special relationship’
● Distinct political histories and cultures.
● Domestic politics - neither Labour nor the Conservatives saw Europe as the answer.
● Franks: ‘Britain is going to continue what she has been, a great power’.
Decline and a Change of Perspective
● 1956 - MacMillan (ChX) rejects idea of joining EC,but by 1961 applies to join as the
PM.
● Complete reversal of position between 1955 & 1961.
● Suez Crisis - November 1956 - UK no longer a great power.
● Decolonisation - ‘the winds of change’.
● Decline of Commonwealth trade.
● Weakness of British economy - e.g. National Plan, while Europe growing fast.
● UK relative economic decline boosts case to join.
The 3 Applications
● Conservative PM, MacMillan, applies in 1961. Vetoed by French President Charles
De Gaulle (CDG).
● CDG views UK political and economic trajectory as incompatible with EC.
● Labour PM WIlson applies again in 1967. CDG vetoes again.
, ● Conservative PM, Heath, successfully reapplies again in 1971. No conditions
applied. CDG is dead!
● UK joins EC in 1973, along with Denmark and Ireland.
1975 Referendum
● 2 years after entering the EC, Harold Wilson holds a referendum. Should the UK
remain in the EC?
● Labour divided - Wilson needed to unite factions e.g. Bennie left anti-EC.
● 1962 - Labour leader, Gaitskell, joining EC would mean the ‘end of a thousand years
of history’.
● Some Tories viewed EC as bulwark against Left Labour programme.
● Made Britain look unreliable and unsure of its own decisions and population.
● ‘Yes’ campaign wins 67% of the vote.
An awkward partner: the British position
● Even once in the EC/EU, Britain seen as an ‘awkward partner’. (George, 1990).
● UK late to membership
● Domestic politics holds back pro-Europe stance.
● Westminster ‘winner takes all’ culture not suited to EU compromise.
● Ideological preference for UK-US special relationship.
Thatcher and the EU
● Thatcher complicated the relationship with the EU that evolves.
● Becomes MP in 1959 and initially pro-EC, as majority of Conservatives.
● Idea of EC as an integrated trading bloc appeals to liberal, pro-capitalist views.
● EC could help to ensure the spread of capitalism at the time of Communist threat.
● It could also expand markets for UK trade into the continent. Larger markets for
imports and exports.
Thatcher and the British Budgetary Question
● First part of her PMship was defined by the British Budgetary Question (BBQ).
● UK 2nd largest net contributor in 1979 and due to become the largest.
● Dublin EC Meeting in 1979: ‘I want our money back’.
● Rejects £350 million annual rebate offer.
● Stronger hand for Thatcher post 1983 General Election, wins rebate at Fontainebleau
EC meeting in 1984.
● Equated to c.66% net reduction in UK contribution which was a big success for
Thatcher.
The single market, not social Europe.
● President of EC, Jacques Delors, relaunches EC with 1985 White Paper - SEM and
‘social Europe’.
● Mid-80s still supportive: says Britain ‘ahead of pack’ in support for SM.
