The Conservative Party and European Integration since 1945: At the Heart of Europe?

by Crowson; N. J.

• ISBN13: 9780415400220
• ISBN10: 0415400228
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-01-02
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This volume provides an up-to-date and comprehensive introduction to British policy in Europe. By exploring the schisms within the party over Europe, through primary source-based history and theoretical discourses of political science, N.J. Crowson gives the reader the best sense of understanding of how and why the Conservative party's policy attitudes to European integration have evolved. The Conservative Party and European Integration since 1945adopts a thematic line based around two chronological periods, 194575 and 19752006, and uses different methodological approaches. It explores the shifting stances amongst Conservatives within an economic, political and international context as the party adjusted to the decline of Britain's world role and the loss of empire. Crowson analyzes Britain's role and relationship with Europe together with the study of the Conservative Party, and deals with economic, commercial and monetary issues, successfully bridging a serious gap in any discussion of the UK's relations with the European Union and appreciation of the political world in which Conservative European policy has been framed and pursued since 1945. This book is recommended for background reading in undergraduate courses in British politics and European history.

Author Biography

N. J. Crowson is Senior Lecturer in Contemporary British History at the University of Birmingham, UK.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. xii
Introduction	p. 1
The narrative	p. 1
The historiography	p. 4
Methodology	p. 8
The sources	p. 8
Preamble	p. 10
Conservative moves towards Europe, 1945-75: 'like chasing a girl'	p. 14
The opposition years: the Council of Europe and the Schuman Plan	p. 14
European defence and free trade areas	p. 21
EEC and EFTA: at sixes and sevens	p. 26
The first EEC application	p. 28
Surviving the veto?	p. 32
Labour's 1967 application	p. 34
Third time lucky? The successful 1970 application	p. 37
Renegotiation and the 1975 referendum	p. 40
From EEC to EU, 1975-2006: 'in Europe, but not run by Europe'?	p. 45
Direct elections	p. 45
Thatcher's budgetary battles	p. 47
Towards a single market	p. 50
The European Exchange Rate Mechanism	p. 53
Maastricht: 'game, set and match'?	p. 55
The single currency	p. 60
The issues and debates: 'head versus heart'	p. 71
Atlantic or European world power?	p. 71
End of empire	p. 76
Defence of Europe	p. 78
Common European foreign policy	p. 80
Political union and federalism	p. 81
Sovereignty	p. 83
'Let the people decide!' Referendum demands	p. 89
Free trade versus preference	p. 92
Agriculture: from an economic to a patriotic issue	p. 94
The single market, monetary union and the euro	p. 98
Enlargement	p. 103
The Conservative Europeanist	p. 105
Definition	p. 105
The historical Europhile	p. 106
The Strasbourg years	p. 107
Edward Heath	p. 108
The converts	p. 109
The legacy of the war	p. 110
Political expediency and missed chances	p. 113
Reverse decline	p. 115
Economics and markets	p. 116
British leadership	p. 117
Forums	p. 118
Selling Europe: 'a pretty big thing to undertake'	p. 127
The mechanics of selling	p. 132
The electoral message	p. 146
Electoral tactics 1997-2005	p. 150
The Conservative sceptic: 'a confederacy of zealots and lurchers'?	p. 152
Leadership	p. 153
Parliamentary support	p. 159
Activist base	p. 165
Tactics	p. 172
The message	p. 179
The alternatives?	p. 180
The Eurosceptic media	p. 185
Conservatives in Europe: 'the concern of a private army'?	p. 188
Inter-European party liaison	p. 188
The Council of Europe	p. 196
Members of the European Parliament	p. 201
The European experience	p. 206
Conservatives and the EU's institutions	p. 209
Conclusion	p. 218
The future?	p. 225
Notes	p. 227
Bibliography	p. 219
Index	p. 293
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