The UK, EU Member State, introduction

This course uses chapter 7 (pages 82 to 93) of the Hatier classes européennes HISTORY GEOGRAPHY text book, entitled: "The United Kingdom, between Europe and the open sea" .

2016 editorial cartoon by Tom Janssen

Pages 82-83, introduction

Teacher’s analysis of the title "The UK, between Europe and the open sea":

What is the “United Kingdom”?

• The UK (aka Britain or Great Britain) is a sovereign state in Europe.
• Its full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
• It is a member state of the European Union (it joined the European Economic Community in 1973).
• It lies off the north-western coast of the European mainland, includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands. The UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the North Sea to its east, the English Channel to its south and the Celtic Sea to its south-southwest. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland.
• It is the 8th-largest country in the EU (248,500 km²).
• The UK consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland (though Northern Ireland is also described as a region).
• The population is estimated at 64.5 million inhabitants (third largest of the EU). England's population is about 53 million (one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with 417 people per km², concentrated in London and the south-east).  Scotland's population is about 6 million, Wales’ population is about 3 million, and Northern Ireland about 2 million.
• The UK is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance (House of Lords and House of Commons). The government of the UK is based in Westminster (London). There are devolved administrations in Edinburgh (for Scotland), Cardiff (for Wales), and Belfast (for Northern Ireland).
• The capital city is London (10,320,000 inhabitants, second-largest in the European Union). It is a global city and a main financial centre.

What is “Europe”?

It means the continent of Europe (geographical area), all the European countries, and it can mean the European Union (EU).

What is “the open sea”?

It means the main body of a sea or ocean, especially the part that is outside territorial waters and not enclosed, or partially enclosed, by land. Here, the term is used to describe the Atlantic Ocean. For the British (the inhabitants of the UK), the ocean is the natural barrier that makes them an  island nation (it puts them physically but also culturally apart from the rest of the world, in particular “the continent”, i.e. Europe). The ocean is also the thing that has to be dominated (cf. “Britannia rules the waves”). The British are a (proud) maritime nation; they sailed the sea to conquer a world-wide Empire from the 16^th to the 19^th centuries. 

The “open sea” also refers to the atlanticist foreign policy of the UK (Atlanticism, according to Wikipedia, is "a belief in the importance of cooperation between Europe and the United States and Canada regarding political, economic, and defence issues, with the purpose of maintaining the security and prosperity of the participating countries, and to protect the values that unite them"). According to Charles De Gaulle (in his Mémoires de guerre, published in the 1950s), Winston Churchill had said (in 1944) that: “Each time we (the British) must choose between Europe and the open sea, we shall always choose the open sea”. This would appear to be Eurosceptic, and to favour Atlanticism; the British are often reproached for having this attitude… However, Churchill, one of the founding fathers of post-war Europe, also said (in 1947, at the start of the Cold War, when European cooperation was seen as the means of rebuilding the continent and resisting communism) that: “If Europe united is to be a living force, Britain will have to play her full part as a member of the European family”. These two contradictory quotes by Churchill reflect Britain’s ambivalent attitude towards its European partners: should the UK be a more active member of the EU or should it be more independent and deal unilaterally with its economic and political partners in the world (notably North America)? The “Brexit” referendum (on whether the UK wishes to remain within or leave the EU) is the consequence of the UK government being unable to resolve this long-standing quandary… So, “between Europe and the open sea” in the title does not simply refer to the UK’s geographical position, but also its political position within the EU.

Analysis of the Key question: "How does the UK combine its own original model with EU membership?"

The UK has an “original model”; this means it is different from the other EU member states on the political, economic and social levels.

Politics

For the British government, “Brussels” is synonymous with EU “interference”. The UK parliament (often proudly described as “the mother of parliaments”) resents having to comply with EU directives and has negotiated with the EU numerous “deals” (the latest by David Cameron) and opt-outs to the UK’s advantage (like not being part of Schengen or the Eurozone).

Economy

The UK (fifth-largest economy in the world and the second-largest in Europe after Germany), has a laissez-faire economic system and a weak welfare system (there is wide-spread poverty). Its financial sector is very dynamic and gives it a degree of independence from the EU. The UK sees the EU essentially as a market, not as a means to political rapprochement or to favour better working or living conditions for the people (a “social” Europe).

Society

British society values its own particular values and practices (its own currency, driving on the left, the monarchy, etc.). It is also very much open to the world (London is a world city). The 2012 Olympic Games held in the UK were an interesting insight into how the British perceive themselves and how they would like the world to see them: creative, dynamic, different (a little eccentric, self-deprecating, with a sense of humour), open to the world but proud to be themselves (patriotic)… The British, because of their history (empire-building), their insular mentality (independent-mindedness), and perhaps their “heroic” role during WW2, see themselves as leaders and trend-setters. The British are, according to most surveys, the most Eurosceptic of Europeans; most people reject the EU's perceived "federalism" and "bureaucracy". One can say that the UK combines with some difficulty its "original model" with EU membership...

Questions:

1. What does the phrase "the open sea" refer to?
2. Why did Winston Churchill say that the UK would "always choose the open sea"?
3. Why are so many British people Eurosceptic?

Translate the introductory paragraph (p. 82).

Describe and comment the photo of City Hall and Tower Bridge using the FACTFILE and all the words of the WORD BOX.

For a description of, and comments on, the editorial cartoon By Tom Janssen, see below!

Brexit referendum (June 2016)

Teacher's introduction (written on the 9th April 2016):

The British Prime Minister (PM) David Cameron, gave a long-awaited speech (known as the “Bloomberg speech” because it was given in the City of London at the offices of Bloomberg) on the 23rd of January 2013 to people (businessmen and politicians) interested in the UK’s European policy. In this speech he said what he thought about the EU (he said he was pro-European) and outlined what he wanted for Britain as a Member State of the Union (he said that he wanted to renegotiate the status of the UK within Europe and that the EU had to become more “economic” and less “social”). He also promised that a national referendum would be held (if he were re-elected at the 2015 General Election) asking the British people if they wanted the UK to remain a Member State of the EU. He did this for two reasons: firstly, as a way to put pressure on Britain’s European partners (it was a threat: if the EU did not change, Britain would probably leave…), and, secondly, as a way to pander to the Eurosceptics of his own party - the Conservative Party - and to the increasingly popular UKIP (the United Kingdom Independence Party, led by Nigel Farage). UKIP’s main policy is that, because all the problems of the UK are due to the fact that it is a Member State of the EU, the UK should leave the EU. Cameron thought that he needed the votes of these Eurosceptics in order to be re-elected at the General Election (it was held in May 2015, and Cameron was re-elected Prime Minister). David Cameron said in his speech that he would campaign for Britain to stay in the EU in the run-up to the referendum.

In June 2016, the British people will, finally, vote in the national referendum (described as the “in or out” referendum and also “Brexit”, i.e. “British-exit”) on whether they want the UK to remain a member State of the European Union (EU) or to leave it. The probable outcome of the referendum (the UK leaving the EU) has created great disquiet among Britain’s EU partners (and pro-Europeans in the UK). It has also been the cause of dissention within the British Government: Cameron has continued to campaign for Britain to stay “in”, while several important Cabinet members and influential Conservatives (notably Boris Johnson, a likely future leader of the Conservative Party) are campaigning for the UK to get “out” of the EU. If the “out” camp wins, Cameron will undoubtedly resign (if he has not resigned before then because of the “Panama Papers” debacle)…

Cartoon commenting Cameron's 2013 "Bloomberg speech":

Cameron in a predicament...

The cartoon above is by Dave Brown. It was published in The Independent on 24th January 2013. It is criticizing David Cameron's Bloomberg speech (given the day before), accusing the Prime Minister of having taken a "wrong turn" politically, pandering to eurosceptics by promising an "in or out" referendum. His political misjudgement, according to the cartoonist, has left him "out in the cold". The "toad" is a zoomorphic caricature of Nigel Farage, the leader of UKIP. The "British bulldog" (an animal that symbolises the British and their national character) is here shown in its nationalistic (anti-EU) avatar. The "audience" of Cameron's speech was not in fact the pro-Europeans (shown in the brightly-lit room) but the Eurosceptics (the toad and the bulldog). Dave Brown thinks that Cameron should not have promised a referendum in his speech (because the UK will probably leave the EU) to satisfy short-term elecoral gains (i.e. winning back support from Eurosceptics); he should have had the political courage to say to his audience that the UK will continue to be an active member of the EU because the danger is that the UK will ostracise itself from the EU (symbolized by the EXIT door being slammed shut).

HOMEWORK: describe and analyse the Dave Brown cartoon above (for a METHOD, cf. the end of this blog post!).

The text below has been adapted from an article that appeared in The Day, dated 22 February 2016:

The debate: Westminster divided over EU vote

Hats in the ring: Leading Conservatives are facing off over Britain’s EU membership.

The date has been set... On 23 June 2016, Britain will make the most momentous decision of a generation. Should it remain a member of the European Union, or is it time to leave?

1. For the next 122 days the UK will be gripped by a debate which could change the course of its history. David Cameron, the prime minister, has spent months negotiating a new ‘special status’ in the European Union (EU). The reforms that Cameron negotiated include an amendment to EU treaties which exempts the UK from any movement towards an ‘ever closer union’. This means Britain will never be forced to join the euro or a European ‘super-state’. Now voters must decide whether it is enough to convince them to stay…
2. It will be ‘one of the biggest decisions this country will face in our lifetimes,’ said Cameron; and it ‘goes to the heart of the kind of country we want to be, and the future that we want for our children’.
3. For the prime minister the choice is clear. He will be campaigning with his ‘heart and soul’ to stay in the EU, where Britain will be ‘safer, stronger and better off.’ After all, the EU gives instant access to jobs and trade with 27 other countries, while offering ‘safety in numbers in a dangerous world’. The European Economic Area allows members to move and trade freely. It is possible that the UK could negotiate access to the EEA if it decides to leave, but this is not guaranteed.
4. Although they may disagree on details, many of the UK’s top politicians stand alongside him: the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn stresses that being part of Europe has brought the UK ‘investment, jobs and protection for workers, consumers and the environment’. Meanwhile, Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon said that another independence vote would be ‘inescapable’ if Britain left the EU against Scotland’s wishes. In September 2014, Scotland voted to remain part of the UK. Scottish voters are more in favour of the EU than English voters, leading Sturgeon to warn that they will not be dragged out against their will.
5. But not everyone is so sure. Last night, London’s mayor Boris Johnson announced that he would be taking the ‘once-in-a-lifetime chance to vote for real change.’
6. He will be joined by Michael Gove, the justice minister, who has argued that membership includes too many laws made by people whom ‘we never elected and can’t throw out’. Britain should ‘take control’ of its democracy and ‘show the rest of Europe the way to flourish,’ he said.
7. Others have concerns about the EU’s ‘open border’ policy; the work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith argued that it puts Britain at risk of ‘Paris-style’ terror attacks, while UKIP leader Nigel Farage said that membership is ‘seriously imperilling our security’. Being in the EU prevents Britain from controlling its borders, said Duncan Smith, which makes it easier for extremists to enter the country. However, it is important to note that Cameron insists that Britain is safer in the EU, as it is easier to share intelligence with other security forces.
8. The arguments each way are laden with technical details and conflicting statements. But the central question is this: does Britain want to be a part of a political union with shared laws and a common goal?
9. The club has many benefits, says the ‘in’ camp — including free trade and thus investment and jobs, and influence over Europe’s future. And the UK is better equipped to face global challenges as part of a strong and united Europe. It cannot retreat into nationalism now.
10. But the ‘out’ team insists Britain will thrive by regaining control of its own destiny. It is not dependent on the EU; it is a powerful country which can make its own trade deals and will still have a leading role in Nato and the UN. It is strong enough to make it alone. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military alliance which includes Britain, the US, and several European nations.

The 'Brexit' referendum is open to UK citizens aged 18 or above. It is also open to citizens from Ireland, Malta and Cyprus if they are over 18 and live in the UK. If you live in the UK, then the decision is bound to affect your life at some point. There are short-term impacts, such as how easily you travel around Europe (a vote to leave could make that process more complicated). But it is the long-term effects that are the most important. For good or bad, the EU helps to shape Britain’s laws, economy and security, and those are the things which shape the careers, education, and safety of every person who lives there...

Pour la version en français de cet article, cliquez sur le lien suivant :

http://theday.co.uk/francais/le-d-bat-westminster-divis-sur-le-brexit 

Comprehension questions (two questions per enumerated paragraph):

1. What is the name of the UK Prime Minister ("PM")?
2. What might convince the voters to stay in the EU?
3. What big decision does the UK have to make?
4. Whose "lifetimes" is Cameron talking about?
5. When does David Cameron want the UK to leave the EU?
6. What "gives instant access to jobs and trade"?
7. Who is Jeremy Corbyn?
8. Who is Nicola Sturgeon?
9. Who is Boris Johnson?
10. Does Boris Johnson favour 'Brexit'?
11. Who is Michael Gove?
12. Why does he want the UK to leave?
13. What is the name of the UKIP leader?
14. What do he and Ian Duncan Smith fear?
15. Are the arguments for or against Brexit clear?
16. What is "the central question"?
17. What "club" does the "in" camp want to stay in?
18. Why should the UK not retreat into nationalism according to the "in" camp?
19. How will the UK thrive?
20. Why can the UK "make it alone"?

Click on the following links to watch useful videos:

• Confused? BBC News offers a simple guide to how the EU works in under two minutes. (1:54)
• ‘The choice is in your hands.’ David Cameron makes his case for remaining in Europe. BBC News.(4:32)

For a METHOD on how to describe and analyse a political cartoon, see below: