Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Tables and Graph
- Preface
- List of Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 The Rise and Fall of British Social Democracy, 1945–2016
- 2 A European Love Affair, 1960–1973?
- 3 The Voices of Dissent, 1960–1973
- 4 The Referendum and its Aftermath, 1975–1983
- 5 The Tories Turn Against Europe, 1983–2005
- 6 Labour Changes Position, 1983–2005
- 7 Crisis, Renegotiation and Referendum, 2005–2016
- Conclusion
- Notes to the Text
- Bibliography and Other Sources
- Index
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Tables and Graph
- Preface
- List of Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 The Rise and Fall of British Social Democracy, 1945–2016
- 2 A European Love Affair, 1960–1973?
- 3 The Voices of Dissent, 1960–1973
- 4 The Referendum and its Aftermath, 1975–1983
- 5 The Tories Turn Against Europe, 1983–2005
- 6 Labour Changes Position, 1983–2005
- 7 Crisis, Renegotiation and Referendum, 2005–2016
- Conclusion
- Notes to the Text
- Bibliography and Other Sources
- Index
Summary
The British Government and the British people have been through a searching debate during the last few years on the subject of their relations with Europe. The result of the debate has been our present application. It was a decision arrived at, not on any narrow or short-term grounds, but as a result of a thorough assessment over a considerable period of the needs of our own country, of Europe, and of the free world as a whole. We recognise it as a great decision, a turning point in our history.
(Edward Heath, address given 9 August 1961)The British people have voted to leave the European Union and their will must be respected. … I was absolutely clear about my belief that Britain is stronger, safer and better off inside the European Union … but the British people have made a very clear decision to take a different path.
(David Cameron, resignation speech, 24 June 2016)Independence Day
In the hit 1996 film Independence Day, people converge in the Nevada desert in the aftermath of a worldwide attack by an extra-terrestrial race. The events of 23 June 2016 were a little less dramatic than this in Britain, but only a little. The polls closed at 10pm at the end of only the third-ever nationwide referendum. It had been an acrimonious and divisive campaign, a far cry from the previous European referendum of 1975. There was no exit poll and so there was little immediate excitement. A YouGov opinion poll suggested Remain were on course for a 52%/48% victory. At 10.15pm, Nigel Farage, the leading figure in the ‘unofficial’ Leave.Eu camp, appeared to concede defeat. The pound soared to $1.50, its strongest performance in 2016.
The results, when they came, presented a somewhat different story. Just after midnight, the first significant voting figures were announced: a narrow win in Newcastle for Remain and a big victory for Leave in Sunderland. The pound fell by nearly 4.7%, greater than the Black Wednesday crash in 1992. More votes were counted; by 4am, Leave was well ahead, with a lead of 500,000 votes. At this point, Farage, surrounded by cheering supporters, claimed victory:
Dare to dream that the dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom.
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- Chapter
- Information
- Europe and the Decline of Social Democracy in Britain: From Attlee to BrexitFrom Attlee to Brexit, pp. 1 - 20Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2019