The politics of nationhood : sovereignty, Britishness, and Conservative politics

For over a century the Conservative Party has been identified as the patriotic party defending the nation state and British identity. Thatcherism sought to rework the Conservative politics of nationhood in the light of changed circumstances, but the Thatcher and Major Governments faced significant problems managing the Union, European integration and a multicultural society. Philip Lynch examines the key developments and statecraft problems in the conservative politics of nationhood during the Thatcher and Major period. The politics of nationhood has been central to British Conservative politics for over a century, the Conservative Party being identified as a patriotic party defending the nation state and British identity. But withdrawal from Empire, EC membership, sub-state nationalisms and multi-culturalism forced a reworking of Conservative politics. Thatcherism's populist patriotic discourse, defense of national sovereignty and the Union, and hardline approach to immigration marked an attempt to restore Conservative predominance in the politics of nationhood. Philip Lynch examines the Conservative politics of nationhood during the Thatcher and Major period, assessing the importance of the nation state and national identity to Conservative statecraft and examining party policy on European integration, territorial politics and the politics of "race". Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 List of Abbreviations......Page 11 Introduction......Page 12 1 Conservatism and the Politics of Nationhood......Page 16 2 Heath and Powell Two National Strategies......Page 37 3 Thatcherism and the Politics of Nationhood......Page 63 4 European Integration......Page 81 5 Territorial Politics......Page 118 6 Race and Immigration......Page 146 7 Conclusions......Page 169 Notes and References......Page 183 Select Bibliography......Page 210 Index......Page 212 Philip Lynch. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 195-196) And Index.