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
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10 Responses to “Britain wins in Europe. Only we don’t seem to notice”
bootsyjam
I don’t understand-on the one hand you bemoan the fall in real wages and the cost of living increases in an article today. This is down to importation of cheap foreign labour and QE (started by labour and continued by the tories) which devalues the £ in your pocket (along with the fractional reserve system-you know what that is don’t you?).
And then on the other hand you say that we’re winning in the EU-despite the fact that the importation of cheap labour has driven down wages for the working classes. Does anyone in any political circles have any joined up thinking, or do people just go from policy to policy, taking the partisan party line and not managing to see any links at all. Seems like the latter.
bootsyjam
Interesting that every other country is in the same boat despite different political parties being in power in different states. Could it be that there isn’t any difference between any political party?
bootsyjam
I think the concept of mutually assured destruction after WW2 was pretty handy in preventing other wars as well. Don’t see too many states with nuclear weapons fighting each other in europe do you? In other continents where religious figures have the potential to have their finger on the button-now that’s different and rather worrying.
wj
Well, the crisis doesn’t seem to have reached our political elite – there doesn’t seem to be much austerity in Brussels.
bootsyjam
Yup-totally agree. And that’s LibLabCon across the board so vote for none of them. Vote local or spoil your ballot I reckon. Actually, I prefer the latter as it shows a complete rejection of the system.