Britain as an Awkward Partner: Reassessing Britain's Relations with the EU

Abstract

This article attempts to do two things. It begins by asserting that there is something that can be called the Awkward Partner thesis, and that this is the dominant academic interpretation of Britain's relations with the European Union. The article then goes on to critically assess this thesis. Particular attention is paid to the concept of awkwardness, and an attempt is made to question its usefulness and validity. The article then goes on to question the underlying argument of the thesis that Britain's persistent awkwardness is a result of peculiar domestic political institutions and structures.