Euro-Skepticism Growing in Britain

Attitudes toward Europe are changing in Britain. Writing for City Journal, Peter Whittle reports:

“Over the past few decades in Britain, it’s been easy to get yourself branded a xenophobe, racist, or simply a nutcase: all you had to do was express misgivings about the European Union. Euro-skeptics, as they’re called here, were kept firmly on the periphery of public debate, not to be taken seriously. . .The fact that the U.K. population has generally registered views on the EU ranging from passive hostility to (more commonly) aggressive indifference was neither here nor there…

“[But] the looming catastrophe of the euro (the single common currency) has allowed a sudden widening of acceptable viewpoints on Britain’s membership in what most now see as a slowly sinking ship. What was once regarded as a crackpot position. . .is now at least receiving a hearing on, for example, the staunchly pro-Europe BBC. No longer dismissible as little more than a form of mental instability, Euro-skepticism has become a valid viewpoint, one that might prove to have history on its side. Britain is sighing in relief at its decision not to join the single currency…

“The possibility of a referendum—not just on this new constitution or that ‘consolidating treaty,’ but on whether Britain should remain in the EU at all—remains far off the political agenda, largely because of government fears that such a vote would go the wrong way. But it is no longer inconceivable. Indeed, Euro-skeptic Conservatives in Parliament forced the issue recently, and the resulting debate. . . saw 80 of them voting against the direction of the Cameron leadership—the biggest such rebellion ever seen on the Europe issue. . .

“In the most recent opinion poll on the issue in the Sunday Times…a full 70 percent believed that the country should try to renegotiate its treaties with Europe. Most strikingly, 54 percent thought that Britain should leave the EU altogether, which is in line with other surveys showing the 50 percent barrier being broken for the first time” (“The Euro-Skeptics’ Moment,” City-Journal.org, Oct. 25, 2011).

The Bible reveals that Britain is going to suffer under the oppression of a revived Roman Empire in Europe but will ultimately be delivered. To learn more, request our free booklet The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy. (Source: City-Journal.org)