Introduction

Labour assumed office in May 1997 amidst expectations that there would be significant improvements in Britain's relations with the European Union (EU). These expectations were based on the Conservatives' record on the one hand and Labour's promises on the other. Expectations that Britain's relations with the EU would change under Labour were held as strongly on the Continent as they were at home.

This chapter evaluates Labour's record on Europe under Blair and argues that the net effect of government policy on British-EU relations was more substantive than is often credited. A key reason why the record has been underestimated is that throughout Blair's premiership the loudest voices came from, on the one hand, that (very considerable) part of the media which disapproved of Blair's EU policies because he was too pro-European for their tastes and, on the other hand, a relatively small band of strong pro-Europeans who believed that Blair had betrayed them – most particularly by not attempting to join the single currency. A second important reason for the underestimation of the record is that from 2003 ‘Europe’, along with most other policy issues, was crowded out by the overwhelming focus on Iraq.

Generally, Europe is only to the fore when sovereignty concerns are at stake and/or when Britain is seen to be engaged in confrontational, high-level, and high-profile exchanges with other member states.