Britain in the European Union: A Very Short History

From the start, Britain's feelings towards European integration were complex; and when Britain finally joined the ‘common market’ in 1973, its reasons were predominantly of an economic nature. Its profound doubts of any ‘federal’ or ‘political’ union would become a recurring theme throughout its membership; and, in later years, Britain's critical attitude towards transfers of legislative powers to the European Union found numerous expressions in a wide range of ‘opt‐outs’. They gave the United Kingdom, in the words of the British government, a unique place within the Union. However, even this halfway house ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ the European Union could not prevent a British referendum in which the majority of British citizens decided to opt out of Union membership altogether. This article offers a very short historical overview of British membership in the Union. Six key moments in the story of British membership will illustrate the complex relationship between Britain and the European Union.