Euroscepticism in Contemporary British Politics: Opposition to Europe in the Conservative and Labour Parties since 1945 - Softcover

Forster, Anthony

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0415287324 ISBN 13: 9780415287326

Publisher: Routledge, 2002

Synopsis

Anthony Forster argues that euroscepticism, in addition to being a political stance, displays the seeds of becoming a new faith. Through a detailed analysis of British post-war politics, he shows the development of a core set of beliefs, a history of persecution, displays of moral rectitude in opposing Europe and the power of scepticism to change existing beliefs.
This challenging new history of euroscepticism will be a valuable resource for undergraduate students of politics and European studies.

About this title

Synopsis:

In a study examining six key episodes in the history of Britain's involvement with the European integration project, Anthony Forster argues that opposition to Europe has been shaped decisively by the opportunities available to sceptics to oppose government policy and the domestic arena in which European policies have been made. In addition, there have been important continuities between the arguments and individuals opposed to integration within both the Labour and the Conservative parties. The book traces the evolution of opponents of integration from anti-Europeans into anti-Marketeers and finally into an organised and resourced body of Eurosceptics committed to opposing the Political and Economic and Monetary Union agenda. It shows how party allegiances have tempered their influence, but also how the actions and beliefs of the sceptics have impacted on the parties themselves.

This challenging new history of Euroscepticism thus gives fresh insight into the domestic context underpinning Britain's troubled relationship with its European partners as well as the party struggle since 1945 and will be a valuable resource for undergraduate and graduate students of politics and European studies, along with researchers and policymakers.

About the Author:

Anthony Forster is Director of Research at the Defence Studies Department, King's College London. Since 1997 he has been Professor Invité at the Institut Supérieur des affaires de défense, Université Panthéon Assas (Université Paris II). He is the author of Britain and Maastricht Negotiations (Palgrave: 1999); and The Making of Britain's European Foreign Policy (Longman: 2001) with Alasdair Blair.

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0415287324
• ISBN 13: 9780415287326
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 168