Eurosceptics in Britain

Résumé du document

An eurosceptic is a person who takes a dim view to European Union, who only considers its drawbacks, someone who criticizes the process of European Integration and who has doubts about the viability or the usefulness of Europe. This term is mainly used to qualify politics, especially the British.

Since her late membership to European Union, Great Britain keeps being regarded as the dunce's cap pupil among the continental classroom. Britain always had controversial and complex relationship with Europe. However, is Britain still this capricious grouch so disparaged by her partners? The British pragmatism and virulence about the European questions intrigue the mainland European, who gladly calls it "British skepticism". The fact that she still refuses to take up the single currency, her wait-and-see attitude in front of the European decisions consolidate her euroseptic image. Fact or fancy?

Extraits

[...] The European integration keeps becoming a more democratic issue : For instance, the creation of the Women against the Common Market group, denouncing the increasing prices in staple (sugar, tea, coffee, meat) linked to the entry of Britain in the EEC. It is a good example of the single-issue parties, born in Britain shortly after the EEC. Thus, these different groups, enjoying a huge influence among their own party, yet waned after the second veto of Charles de Gaulle in 1967. Britain was to wait until he dies to enter the European community in 1973. From then on, the eurosceptic sentiment became a major scale movement, especially in the left-wing Labor party and trade unions. [...]

[...] But in the late 1950's, it was not to last. After World War II, the two big victors of the War, the US and USSR, are hostile to the perpetuation of empires. Britain emerges victorious from the War, but it is ruined, and it only manages to keep its head above water thanks to the loan granted by the United States. Already, Britain is no longer a super power, unable to keep up with the Big Two But still, it has its colonies, until 1947 ; the abandonment of the crown jewels set an example for the rest of the colonies. [...]

[...] The utilitarian issue : What does Britain have to win by taking part to the Community process ? Secondly, the sovereignty : Does being in the Community structures call British parliamentary sovereignty into questions ? And finally, the nationalism : Does the role and position of the UK into the world match the European scheme ? And as far as anti-European parties are concerned, we see by reading the UKIP Manifesto (see the webography) that they are also highly concerned about local matters. [...]

[...] These attempts to join the European Economic Community (EEC) gave rise to the emergence of the first eurosceptic trends in both political main parties : Labor and conservative. Among the Tories, two groups were born in the early sixties : The Anti-Common Market League, which is a right-wing group defending the primacy of the Commonwealth over Europe, and the Keep Britain Out, a small and local popular movement campaigning for the happening of a referendum, with anti-exclusive speeches. However, Labor is more involved in this battle and got more importance, especially left-wing Labor, in which anti-European themes became mobilization reasons. [...]

[...] Then, three MP's in 1999, twelve in 2004. Even if it is not enough to run for Prime Minister, it makes the Tory popularity fall : From 36% of the votes in 1999 to 27% in 2004. Conclusion As it carved out an influential place in politics, euroscepticism thwarts the traditional bipartisan system in Britain. The euroscepticism in Britain has been growing so much in size that today, even the vultures of the by-product retailing groups' grabbed hold of this buoyant market. [...]