A Cultural History of British Euroscepticism

95 Pages·2015·0.738 MB·English

by  Menno Spiering (auth.)

A Cultural History of British Euroscepticism
The way Europe is commonly regarded in Britain appears a
strong cultural force not easily escaped from. It is a bit like
the famous ‘vertical line experiment’ (p. 29).
Picture reproduced with permission of Nature Publishing Group
from ‘Development of the Brain Depends on the Visual Environment’.
Nature International Journal of Science. Vol. 228 no. 5278.
DOI: 10.1057/9781137447555.0001
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DOI: 10.1057/9781137447555.0001
A Cultural History of
British Euroscepticism
Menno Spiering
University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
DOI: 10.1057/9781137447555.0001
© Menno Spiering 2015
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2015 978-1-137-44754-8
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this
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Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication
may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
Th e author has asserted his right to be identifi ed as the author of this work
in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
First published 2015 by
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN
Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited,
registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke,
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ISBN: 978–1–137–44755–5 PDF
ISBN: 978-1-349-49623-5
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.
www.palgrave.com/pivot
doi: 10.1057/9781137447555
Contents
Introduction 1
1 The Second World War 8
2 The European Other 20
3 The Island Story 30
4 The Invention of Europe 44
Conclusion 73
References 78
Index 84
DOI: 10.1057/9781137447555.0001 v

Introduction
Abstract: The UK–EU relationship is a troubled one. The
reasons are usually explained with reference to international
relations and party politics. The fact that the issue is
frequently discussed under the heading ‘Britain and Europe’
is, however, an indication that British Euroscepticism has
a strong cultural component. Britain is seen to be different
from Europe. The nature and history of this perception of
separation will be examined in the following four chapters.
This introduction initiates the discussion by providing a brief
analysis of devolution in the UK. Devolution has highlighted
that ‘Britain’ must not be confused with ‘England’, that
feelings of cultural separation tend to be tenacious and that
British Euroscepticism might be English Euroscepticism.
Spiering, Menno. A Cultural History of British
Euroscepticism. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan,
2015. doi: 10.1057/9781137447555.0002.
DOI: 10.1057/9781137447555.0002 
 A Cultural History of British Euroscepticism
It is obvious that the United Kingdom has always had deep reservations
about the various schemes of post-war European integration. Stephen
George famously dubbed the country ‘an awkward partner’ (George
1998). In 1973 the UK belatedly acceded to the Economic Community
(EEC), but this was only the beginning of a continuously troubled
relationship marked by party divisions, media hostility, opt-outs and
opt-ins, and persistent calls for an in–out referendum. The question of
why this should be so is frequently answered with reference to party
politics and international relations. The UK’s attitude to European inte-
gration is seen as the product of its recent loss of Empire; its relation to
the Commonwealth; its attempt to remain a world player by pursuing a
special relationship with the superpower the United States of America.
The list of titles providing this type of analysis is so extensive that it
cannot be reproduced here.
The focus on politics and international relations is valid and essential.
No student of UK–EU relations can or should avoid it. But it can side-
step another important aspect of the troubled relationship. The UK–EU
discussion is almost always referred to as ‘Britain and Europe’. A recent
example to date is a speech on UK membership of the EU given by
Prime Minister David Cameron on 23 January 2013. Called ‘Britain
and Europe’, it was delivered against a blue background with these two
words on prominent and permanent display. The widespread practice
of talking about ‘Britain and Europe’ when addressing issues pertaining
to the United Kingdom and the European Union is a strong indication
that the troubled relations are not just about political aspirations or
disagreements. There is a disconnect that goes much deeper than mere
frictions between a member state and an institution. Apparently, we are
dealing with two opposing concepts. The one is called Britain, the other
Europe.
When European matters are discussed in Britain this discourse of
distinction almost always slips in. Speaking against UK membership of
the EEC at the Labour conference in Brighton in 1962, Labour leader
Hugh Gaitskell exclaimed ‘We are not part of Europe, at least not yet!’
(Gaitskell 1996, 24). Cameron was more careful, proposing that the British
are not ‘somehow un-European’. Both Gaitskell and Cameron present the
distinction between Britain and Europe as a matter of attitude, customs
or culture. Gaitskell portrays Europe and the Europeans as undemo-
cratic; Cameron declares the British are different because they ‘have
the character of an island nation: independent, forthright, passionate in
DOI: 10.1057/9781137447555.0002
Introduction 
defence of our sovereignty’ (Cameron 2013). To suggest that Britain is
not quite like Europe is by no means the prerogative of politicians. On
the contrary, it is so common that it is easily missed, like a smell that
loses its potency the longer it lingers. In Britain it makes perfect sense
to say one will be travelling ‘to Europe’, that one likes ‘European food’,
‘European music’, etc. Europe is an outland; the Europeans are outland-
ers. It is this matter of a perceived cultural distinction between Britain
and Europe that needs to be explored fully to understand the troubled
relationship. It is likely that the UK–EU issues are but symptoms of an
important underlying sense of alienation. If there is Euroscepticism in
Britain, it is literally just that.
In UK–EU analyses it can be controversial to move away from politics,
treaties and international relations to the role of culture or sentiments
of national identity. Andrew Geddes states that ‘it is absurd to imagine
that there is some kind of predisposition in Britain to Euroscepticism,
as though it were some kind of national trait or characteristic’ (Geddes
2013, 35). It would indeed be absurd to claim that the British are inher-
ently non-European. Of course they are not. We are not dealing with
an essential quality of Britishness, but with a perception, an idea of
extra-Europeanness that is not eternal or innate, but can be traced
and analysed. It would be equally absurd to try to determine whether
the perceived distinctions between Britain and Europe are right or
wrong. Who is right, Gaitskell or Cameron? Are ‘the Europeans’ really
undemocratic? Are ‘the British’ really a special island people, but not
‘un-European’ at the same time? The aim of this book is certainly not
to judge the veracity of these ideas. What is significant is not who is
right, but that both Gaitskell and Cameron are singing from the same
song sheet. In Britain it is perfectly possible to see Britain and Europe
as two separate entities (to be compared, contrasted and perhaps to be
found congruous) but two entities nevertheless. It is this fact that has
a profound effect on Anglo-European relations; it is this fact that will
be examined in the chapters of this book. Understanding the cultural
component of the Britain-and-Europe debate can only result in a better
understanding of the troubled relationship.
Before embarking on the story of ‘Britain and Europe’ one important
point needs to be addressed; it is the issue of Britain and England. Anyone
writing about Britain must face the question of whether the subject
is really Britain, or perhaps just England. Gone are the days when an
author could make do by simply remarking ‘when I say “English” I really
DOI: 10.1057/9781137447555.0002