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10 Conclusion

Abstract

This chapter considers the causes of New Labour's policy failure and considers the utility of taking a discourse approach to British Euroscepticism. British public opinion on the Europian Union (EU) remained disconcertingly constant and the country still showed itself, at the end of thirteen years of New Labour government, to be among the least enthusiastic supporters of the EU. The purpose of taking a discourse approach to the study of New Labour's European policy was to try to empathize with the policy dilemmas as the government saw them. The EU featured in the government's strategy for global leadership because Tony Blair and Gordon Brown believed that having influence in the EU gave Britain influence with the US. Studying the empirical position of the 'pro' groups would have the practical advantage of identifying the potential levers available to policy-makers in their quest to upgrade the 'European' element of British national identity.

Abstract

This chapter considers the causes of New Labour's policy failure and considers the utility of taking a discourse approach to British Euroscepticism. British public opinion on the Europian Union (EU) remained disconcertingly constant and the country still showed itself, at the end of thirteen years of New Labour government, to be among the least enthusiastic supporters of the EU. The purpose of taking a discourse approach to the study of New Labour's European policy was to try to empathize with the policy dilemmas as the government saw them. The EU featured in the government's strategy for global leadership because Tony Blair and Gordon Brown believed that having influence in the EU gave Britain influence with the US. Studying the empirical position of the 'pro' groups would have the practical advantage of identifying the potential levers available to policy-makers in their quest to upgrade the 'European' element of British national identity.

Chapters in this book

  1. Front matter i
  2. Dedication v
  3. Contents vii
  4. Lists of images, figures, boxes and tables ix
  5. Preface xi
  6. Acknowledgements xiv
  7. List of abbreviations xvi
  8. 1 Introduction 1
  9. 2 Context I. The New Labour project 40
  10. 3 Context II. Discourse and norm entrepreneurship 63
  11. 4 Interests rate 90
  12. 5 Context III. A permanent state of discursive war 109
  13. 6 Identities 135
  14. 7 Context IV. New Labour, old history 162
  15. 8 Escaping the past? 182
  16. 9 Projecting an image 211
  17. 10 Conclusion 230
  18. Epilogue. New Labour after Blair 243
  19. Appendix 1 254
  20. Appendix 2 255
  21. Bibliography 259
  22. Index 278
New Labour and the European Union
This chapter is in the book New Labour and the European Union
https://doi.org/10.7765/9780719095153.00017

Chapters in this book

  1. Front matter i
  2. Dedication v
  3. Contents vii
  4. Lists of images, figures, boxes and tables ix
  5. Preface xi
  6. Acknowledgements xiv
  7. List of abbreviations xvi
  8. 1 Introduction 1
  9. 2 Context I. The New Labour project 40
  10. 3 Context II. Discourse and norm entrepreneurship 63
  11. 4 Interests rate 90
  12. 5 Context III. A permanent state of discursive war 109
  13. 6 Identities 135
  14. 7 Context IV. New Labour, old history 162
  15. 8 Escaping the past? 182
  16. 9 Projecting an image 211
  17. 10 Conclusion 230
  18. Epilogue. New Labour after Blair 243
  19. Appendix 1 254
  20. Appendix 2 255
  21. Bibliography 259
  22. Index 278
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