Britain and European Union: Dialogue of the Deaf

Description

The forefathers of the European Union, led by Jean Monnet, hoped to create a 'United States of Europe' with national sovereignties subordinated to a federal government. Few in Britain shared their dream. Yet Britain abandoned her aloof stand of 1950, and eventually joined the European Communities. Lord Beloff asks whether the key figures - Harold Macmillan, Sir Edward Heath and Harold Wilson, knowingly deceived the electorate into thinking that entry could be combined with the country's independence of action and historic constitution, or whether they thought that they could persuade continental statesmen from inside of the merits of a much looser structure. The actions and words of Lady Thatcher and John Major are scrutinised with this same question in mind, as are Labour's oscillations under Gaitskell, Wilson and Foot before plunging wholeheartedly into Eurofederalism under Kinnock and Blair. The key theme which emerges is of mutual misunderstanding between Britain and the continent, due to basic differences of outlook and interest, which have guaranteed continual controversy throughout our involvement in Europe. Front Matter....Pages i-vii The Problem Stated....Pages 1-10 The Historical Perspective....Pages 11-30 Federalism and Federalists....Pages 31-49 Europe in British Politics 1945–75....Pages 51-83 Europe in British Politics, 1975–91....Pages 85-111 Britain, France and European Union....Pages 113-129 Britain and the Crisis of European Union....Pages 131-148 Back Matter....Pages 149-172