"British Policy in the European Community: The Commitment to Globalism"

[From the Introduction]. Britain's relations with the European Community (EC) have always been difficult. Initially British governments refused to become involved in the experiments in European unity; then, after membership, successive governments adopted policies that have attracted the description “an awkward partner”. This image was reinforced by the objections that the Thatcher governments made to certain aspects of the 1992 programme. Although there are signs that a more accommodating attitude is being adopted by the Major government, it is still too early to say that the record has changed fundamentally. It is the purpose of this paper to attempt an explanation of the attitudes up to and including the Thatcher governments