This book provides the first detailed historical account of British public opinion and party policy towards European integration from 1973 (the year in which the UK joined the European Community) to 2016 (the year in which the UK voted to leave the European Union). It takes a thematic approach towards this subject, exploring party policy and public opinion towards significant developments in the European integration process during the period covered. These include moves towards deeper and flexible integration, economic and monetary union, the Single Market, enlargement, and foreign and defence policy cooperation. The author assesses the nature of British public opinion towards these developments - some of which Britain's government and main political parties supported, and others which they opposed - and analyses the extent to which party policies reflected public opinion.

Explores the extent to which British government and party policies towards European integration reflected broader public and non-elite opinion Analyses data from Eurobarometer surveys and other opinion poll sources, as well as party policies Contributes to an area of growing interest due to the 2016 British EU referendum

Autorentext

Stuart Smedley is a Visiting Fellow at the University of Southampton, UK, and a Research Manager in the Ipsos UK Public Affairs team. His work has appeared in leading academic journals such as Twentieth Century British History and JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies. He has taught modules on British politics at King’s College London and the London School of Economics and Political Science, as well as on the history of Britain and European integration since 1945 at King’s College London.

Inhalt

1. Introduction.- 2. British Public Opinion and European Integration.- 3. Deeper and Flexible Integration.- 4. The Single Market.- 5. Economic and Monetary Union.- 6. Enlargement.- 7. Foreign and Defence Policy Cooperation.- 8. Conclusion.