The Effect of European Union Membership on the Political...

The Effect of European Union Membership on the Political Parties in the UK The issue of the European union has been one which has dramatically shaped the course of British politics. Most significantly, it has affected the political parties, in various ways. It might be assumed that each party would be required to create firm and coherent policies on Europe, to provide choices for the electorate. However, in Britain, the issue of the European Union serves to divide the parties internally and leads to fluctuating and irresolute policies. Within both major parties, there has been intense division since the establishment of even the most basic European Union. Originally, the Labour Party was†¦show more content†¦This exact problem has lead to the major change within political parties, inner division. For example, in the Labour Party, this very issue has seen the Deputy PM, Roy Jenkins, in 1979, to resign, the party to split into a fragment called the Social Democratic Party in 1981 taking up an anti-European agenda, and even the exact issue was bypassed due to the division and contrasting views of the government and the party by the use of the 1975 EU referendum. This pattern is a similar one which can be seen in the Conservative Party. Traditionally, the Party were anti-European and were well known for their objections to any sort of European connections. This was reversed between 1961 and 1975 when they were actively positive towards the EU. After 1975, this was overshadowed by the severe split within the party, which is a major effect of the EU. The aftermath of Mrs Thatchers terms in office where she was rigidly a Eurosceptic, so much so as many resigned such as Michael Heseltine, meant that the party adopted a far less controversial and potentially vote-losing stance of Britain being run with Europe and not by Europe. This again echoes the Labour approach of avoiding the issue, and not making clear decisions on the basis it might alienate the majority, and combines traditional Conservatism with a less-rigid angle toShow MoreRelatedUnited Kingdom Of The European Union And The Political, Economical, And Social Consequences1694 Words   |  7 Pagestheir countries’ fate: whether they should leave the European Union. What makes this important is that it would be the first country to leave the European Union in a time when other European countries are either in negotiation or planning to join. It would be a big deal as the United Kingdom is Europe’s third largest economy. 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