British Political Parties and Public Attitudes Towards the European Community: Leading, Following or Getting Out of the Way?

This analysis considers the linkage between public attitudes towards European Community membership and the positions taken by Britain’s three main political parties from the early 1960s. Three models of the relationship – parties leading the public, parties following the public and parties seeking to avoid the issue – are tested using Eurobarometer and other public opinion sources. The party leadership model, with due consideration for differing degrees of partisanship, continues to provide the best explanation of attitudes of the British public towards Europe.