Without Power Comes Great Irresponsibility. Conservative Euroscepticism from Opposition to Brexit
Journal: Politeja
Year: 2025

In this article, we ask how Conservative Euroscepticism was able to transform over the years from a more-or-less reasonable critique of the terms of the Maastricht Treaty to a trenchant opposition to British association with the EU. We argue that policy radicalism is accelerated by a lack of power over policy outcomes, such that political claims (assumptions, policies) cannot be implemented and thus cannot be tested against the harsh light of reality. We argue that stints in opposition, in coali