Reframing English Nationalism and Euroscepticism: From populism to the British Political Tradition

Abstract

This article analyses Ben Wellings’ recent contribution to the debate over the English Question, English Nationalism and Euroscepticism: Losing the Peace, and places it within the context of the British Political Tradition (BPT). Wellings develops the case for an English nationalism characterised by an opposition to European integration. Although this article is broadly in agreement with his central proposition that Euroscepticism is the most coherent expression of English nationalism, it takes issue with his secondary argument – that this nationalism is populist. Instead, this article reframes the case for Eurosceptic English nationalism in terms of a continued adherence to a BPT characterised by elitist ideas of responsibility and representation. Rather than being genuinely populist, the adoption of Eurosceptic attitudes by a growing section of the political class has been driven by a desire to perpetuate a political system that protects elite power and a culture of limited democratic participation. A study of Euroscepticism consequently offers evidence, not only of English nationalism, but also of the existence of a BPT that constrains and facilitates political action and development.