The UK government is on course to win around 90 per cent of its policy goals in Europe, despite polling showing that a majority of Britons believe the country is a loser in Europe.
The UK government is on course to win around 90 per cent of its policy goals in Europe, despite polling showing that a majority of Britons believe the country is a loser in Europe.
Two-thirds (62 per cent) of those surveyed by YouGov believed that the UK’s aims were mostly or always rejected in Europe, and two thirds (61 per cent) believed the UK had little or no influence and few friends.
YouGov focus groups also revealed that voters felt Britain was ‘insignificant’, had ‘lost its moral backbone’ and was ‘losing against the Germans and the French’ in Europe.
However in contrast to public pessimism, a new report by the pro-European pressure group British Influence has found that in 2013 Britain was successful in 18 policy areas in Europe, did well in 20 more and failed to achieve its policy objectives in just four areas.
Director of British Influence Peter Wilding blamed the perception gap on “some sort of victim syndrome with our EU membership”.
“In focus groups voters told us that Britain was ‘insignificant’ and ‘losing against the Germans and French’ in Europe. In fact the Scorecard shows that Britain has more impact on key EU decisions than the public perceives and is on track to achieve 90 per cent of its policy goals. Voters are crying out for stronger leadership from Britain in Europe,” he added.
Sir Malcolm Rifkind, former Conservative foreign secretary and one of the Scorecard’s authors, said:
“It is by playing the system more cleverly from the inside, rather than being tempted towards unrealistic and unworkable ruses that foster disappointment and disillusion, that we can deliver what we most desire – a powerful Britain within a reformed European Union.”
The full British Influence Scorecard report is online here
10 Responses to “Britain wins in Europe. Only we don’t seem to notice”
Foullaini
Why should the policies our elected parliament wish to pursue be up for grabs in some sort of European contest?
Time to be a sovereign nation again.
Sparky
The public only believe that because of Labour’s weak, subservient track record in Europe. It took a Conservative PM to stand up for Britain. I’m glad that LFF has acknowledged how well the current government is doing in Europe.
Cy Buki
nice that they are doing so well on the continent, shame about how that is reflecting nowhere at home, punishing those that have nothing, picking on those that cannot fight back, failing to hold big corporations accountable for their actions, O’king the destruction of our water table with fracking. Nice they’re ding so well in Europe though.
wj
The thing I don’t understand is, if we did so well under Labour, and Labour were so in tune with the EU, and it was so advantageous to us to belong to the club – why did we run up such a large amount of debt and why were we left with such a deficit.
And should we ignore the suffering of other countries such as Greece and Spain – were we so in tune with the EU that we went along with the bankster-assisted thuggery.
Please, save your breath and propaganda – the only people to gain from this cronies club are members of the political class such as Kinnock and Mandelson.
Interesting that LFF has suddenly developed such a love affair with members of the Conservative party – you’ll be quoting the CBI next.
Mike Stallard
James, I would very much like you to read what the leaders of Europe are actually saying quite openly. No, these are not proof texts. They are official statements of Europe’s future.
“It is extremely fortunate that the prospect of war breaking out in the
heart of Europe has become unimaginable… Through the European
Union, we have found a way to resolve our differences peacefully.” The
Guardian: Frank-Walter Steinmeier: German Foreign Minister.
“Our fatherland is now Europe. Our national anthem is
Ode to Joy.
And our flag is that of the twelve yellow stars on an azure
background.”
“A clear victory for the pro-Europeans at the 2014 elections must herald
the creation of a real constituent assembly, with the aim of
establishing a truly federal Europe.”
“A majority of people want more Europe, not less. The Constitution was
not rejected because it was too ambitious but because it was not
ambitious enough.”
“The euro crisis does not in any way indicate that the introduction of the
single European currency was a mistake.”
“The ultimate consequence of identity thinking is the gas chambers of
Auschwitz.”
These are quotes from Guy Verhofstadt, a runner for the post of M. Barroso, whose State of the Union speech 2013 attacked nationalism and populism and called, several times for “More Europe.”
Stop kidding around: people who think like this are not interested in merely national interests: they hate them!