Britain is avowedly eurosceptic. But euroscepticism is not homogeneous; there are different tones of disgust. Many decry
further political integration; others oppose Europe’s penchant for protectionism; some are wary of the EU’s apparent collective socialism; a few are essentially pro-European but believe
too much sovereignty has been ceded; others hope to redefine Britain’s cultural and political relationship with the Continent, as a bridge between the Old World and the Anglosphere; most see
Brussels as an affront to elective democracy; and a handful just want out and vote UKIP.
So it has always been – perhaps one reason why William Hague’s ‘ticking time-bomb’ has not yet exploded.
Time passes and Britain has become more immersed in the European Union. The divisions between Conservative eurosceptics are now more acute. Bill Cash and the other gilded veterans of Maastricht are being superseded by a new breed.
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