The British Political Elite and Europe, 1959-1984: A Higher Loyalty

This book is a study of a seminal period in British and European politics, starting with the background to the British government’s early attempt at EEC membership, and concluding with the year that the leadership of both major political parties accepted Britain’s place in Europe. This, however, is an issue that has never been completely settled, resurfacing over thirty years later and leading to the British electorate’s vote to leave the EU. 

The current problems over Britain’s membership of the European Union are largely the result of an absence of quality debates over the period 1959–1984, with the situation today being attributed to the political elite subordinating the question of Britain’s future in Europe to short-term, pragmatic, party management or career considerations. This particular and original interpretation of Britain and Europe is advanced and aided by newly-discovered evidence, including the extraordinary methods used by the Conservative government to ensure it won the vote following the 1971 parliamentary debate on Britain’s proposed entry into the EEC. Nicholls delves into the motives of the sixty-nine rebel Labour MPs that voted against their own party to ensure the Conservative victory over EEC membership, and examines whether or not the British public were misled by political leaders from both major political parties in respect of the true aims of the European project. 

The book contributes to a greater understanding of British politics, and casts light on the current toxic dilemma on the issue of Europe.