Dr William King

This project is part a European-wide project exploring Euroscepticism in history, involving researchers from the German Historical Institutes in London, Rome, Warsaw, and the Hamburg Institute for Social Research.

William’s research focuses on British history and Euroscepticism with a particular emphasis on Barbara Castle, the European Parliament and the Labour Party. It will focus on key individuals who actively shaped and influenced the European integration project; many of them opposed British membership. The project as a whole will be used as a ‘way in’ to explore the “Eurosceptic” British Labour Group and their engagement in the Socialist Group and the European Parliament. It will explore how they played a significant part in constructing and forming EEC/EC policy in many important areas and how they potentially enhanced the prestige and power of the European Parliament, but also their limited contributions and/or frustrations. This approach will allow appreciation of the varied forms of “Eurosceptic” views and figures in the British Labour Group.