The uk and the european union
The United Kingdom first joined the European Economic Community in January 1973. The country is now a member of the European Union (EU). In recent years, there have been divisions in both major parties as to whether the UK should form greater ties within the EU, or reduce the EU's supranational powers.
Opponents of greater European integration are known as Eurosceptics, supporters are known as Europhiles. Division over Europe is evident in both major parties. Both the Conservative and the Labour Parties are divided over this issue. At the same time, UK nationalists have long campaigned against European integration.
Euroscepticism is, of course, a controversial issue and has been a significant element in the politics of the United Kingdom since its entering the European Economic Community. The strongest eurosceptics – both inside and outside of the political parties – advocate British withdrawal from the EU altogether. In the UK, attitudes toward membership of the European are divided.
In a recent poll, 32% of the British population as a whole thought membership of the EU was “a bad thing”, higher by 8 percentage points than any other EU country; 30% thought membership was a “good thing”, lower than any country apart from Latvia. According to the same poll, 49% of those polled believed that the UK had not benefited from EU membership, with only 36% perceiving benefits from membership. At present, the future of further integration is uncertain.
Ex.7. Work in small groups. Find as many arguments as possible to support the positions of Eurosceptics and Europhiles.
Ex.8. Complete a group project.
Britain and European Politics.
Britain’s domestic problems.
Protection of British historical heritage.
Top 10 places to visit and enjoy.
Listening and writing
Ex.1. Listen to a conversation about Emmeline Pankhurst, a famous British suffragist. Give reasons for her popularity with British people.
Text for listening comprehension
Q.: Can you explain the fact that Emmeline Pankhurst is so popular with many British people?
A.: Well, the thing is that it’s connected with the suffragists’ movement in the United Kingdom. In Britain, women had to campaign for the right to vote for a long time. Emmeline Pankhurst was leading the struggle at the turn of the XX century. There are few women in British political history who were admired as much as Emmeline Pankhurst was.
Q.: I’d like to know the reason for all those efforts. Why was it all happening?
A.: It seems obvious that early in the XX century women were prepared to play a more prominent role in British political life. To achieve this, they needed the right to vote, one of the basic human rights not granted to them. The success of suffragists in other countries inspired them, too.
Q.: I see. Pankhurst was a born leader, wasn’t she?
A.: She certainly was. Moreover, she was a militant one. Women like her were prepared to use violence, if necessary, to get what they wanted. She herself was sent to prison many times for her protesting. It was only during the First World War that she called off the suffrage campaign, and the government released all suffragist prisoners.
Q.: What was the point of all the protesting?
A.: The suffragettes were fighting for a cause. Their arrival ushered in a new era in which women were no longer prepared to wait patiently for some change. They wanted things done, now.
Q.: Tell me how their campaigning looked.
A.: For instance, the Suffragettes interrupted political meetings carrying banners reading “Votes for Women” – and when they were arrested they opted to go to prison rather than pay a fine. Some chained themselves to railings outside Parliament and, most dramatically, one woman killed herself in public. Emily Wilding Davison threw herself underneath King George V’s horse at the 1913 Derby horse race. She was very badly injured and died in hospital four days later. Of course, the tragic event attracted a lot of public attention and promoted the cause of the suffragettes.
Q.: And –
A.: It’s next to impossible to imagine that but Emmeline Pankhurst’s active campaign lasted for 40 years! In the end, it achieved complete success in the year of her death, 1928, when British women obtained full voting rights.
Ex.2. Give written answers to the following questions.
1. Did women in Britain get the right to vote soon and easily?
2. Why did the suffragists’ movement begin in Britain?
3. Which word best describes Pankhurst as a leader?
4. Why was she prepared to use violence if necessary?
5. What did the suffragists try to achieve?
6. How did their campaigns of protest look?
7. What happened to the suffragist Emily Davidson?
8. Was Pankhurst suffragists’ leader for a long time?
9. When did women in Britain get the right to vote?
10. Why is Emmeline Pankhurst well remembered today?
Ex.3. Use the fact file to write a brief biography of a famous political figure.
Winston Leonard
Spencer-Churchill
Born 30
November 1874
Died 24
January 1965
1940 –
1945 served as Prime Minister
1951 –
1955 served as Prime Minister again
He was
also an officer, a historian, writer and artist
He
received the Nobel Prize in Literature
The first
person to become an honorary citizen of the United States
Ex.4. Use the fact file to write 10 extended questions about Margaret Thatcher’s life and activities.
Margaret Hilda Thatcher
Born 13
October 1925
Head girl at school 1942-1043
Somerville
College, Oxford (chemistry)
1959
became an MP at the general elections
1970
Secretary of State for Education and Science
1975 –
1990 Leader of the Conservative Party
1979 –
1990 Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Britain’s
first female Prime Minister