Overview

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.

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9780415287319

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Reviews

'This extremely useful book concisely surveys the role that Euro-scepticism has played in recent British politics, focusing on the debates and decisions within the Conservative and Labour parties.' - Unison journals, Tribune, Morning Star, and Voice of the Unions - Will Podmore ' ... (Forster) draws on a wide range of sources and makes sound and thoughtful judgements. Students should find it clearly organized and intellectually stimulating. And most readers will benefit from the new insights it offers into the Eurosceptics and their ideas ...' - Political Studies Books Vol. 50 Dec 2002 'Professor Forster shows that euro-scepticism has been a vibrant movement that has learned to adapt as the E.U. has grown ever more powerful.' - Contemporary Review, Nov 2002

'This extremely useful book concisely surveys the role that Euro-scepticism has played in recent British politics, focusing on the debates and decisions within the Conservative and Labour parties.' - Unison journals, Tribune, Morning Star, and Voice of the Unions - Will Podmore ' ... (Forster) draws on a wide range of sources and makes sound and thoughtful judgements. Students should find it clearly organized and intellectually stimulating. And most readers will benefit from the new insights it offers into the Eurosceptics and their ideas ...' - Political Studies Books Vol. 50 Dec 2002 'Professor Forster shows that euro-scepticism has been a vibrant movement that has learned to adapt as the E.U. has grown ever more powerful.' - Contemporary Review, Nov 2002

Author Information

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.

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