1. Britain and the European Union: Lessons from History
- Publication Date:
- 03-2016
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Mile End Institute, Queen Mary University of London
- Abstract:
- Over the last four decades, membership of the European Union has touched almost every area of national life. It affects how we trade, the laws by which we are governed, where we go on holiday and who is entitled to live here. Its influence has been felt across British politics, from the Northern Ireland peace process to the struggle for equal pay. The ‘European question’ divided the Labour Party in the 1970s, split the Conservative Party in the 1990s, and drove the two most successful insurgent parties of modern times: the Social Democratic Party and the United Kingdom Independence Party. This summer, the UK will hold only the third nationwide referendum in its history, on whether to remain in the EU or to seek a new position outside.
- Topic:
- Politics and Elections
- Political Geography:
- Britain, Europe, and Northern Ireland