this post was submitted on 27 Jul 2023
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UK Politics

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[–] theinspectorst@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Thatcher actively campaigned Remain in 1975 and was a key architect of the EU's single market during the 1980s - arguably her greatest and most far-reaching political achievement.

[–] Jackthelad@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Indeed. But she was a vehement opponent of the Maastricht Treaty, and opposed further EU integration the whole time she was in the House of Lords.

Her Bruges speech in 1988 made it very clear what she thought about moves towards a more federal Europe.

[–] mannycalavera@feddit.uk 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Is it fair to say that her views on the EU were more nuanced than your original comments suggested?

[–] Jackthelad@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Not really. Because the EEC and the EU are very different entities.

[–] mannycalavera@feddit.uk 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Is one not a superset of the other? They are related, no?

[–] Jackthelad@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The EEC was an economic union, the EU is a political union.

[–] mannycalavera@feddit.uk 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Is it possible to join one without the other? Can you join the EU, for example, without EEC membership?

[–] Jackthelad@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The EEC doesn't exist anymore. The institutions were absorbed into the EU.

[–] mannycalavera@feddit.uk 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So they are defacto the same? And probably Maggie's views on it would have been more nuanced than you first suggested? Shed like the EEC bits not the others?

[–] Jackthelad@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I imagine she would have supported the economic union (EFTA/EEA etc) but she opposed the political union and any legislation related to it in the House of Lords, so I think it's a stretch to say she'd have been a supporter of Remain.

[–] mannycalavera@feddit.uk 1 points 1 year ago

Who knows 🧐? I said her views on the EU rather than leave remain being more nuanced than you suggested originally which from your replies seems to back that idea up.

Anyway old biddy's dead so we'll never know 😂

[–] theinspectorst@kbin.social 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It seems like a leap to believe that the architect of the single market would have supported the UK leaving the single market.

Not all Eurosceptics became Brexiters. David Cameron, George Osborne, William Hague, Philip Hammond - all genuine and vocal critics of political aspects of the EU who voted and campaigned Remain.

[–] Jackthelad@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Who said anything about leaving the single market?

You don't have to be in the EU to be in the single market.