Metternich, the German Question and the Pursuit of Peace, 1840–1848

‘Accession must be understood not only in its short-term context, but as the outcome of a long-term process during which Britain’s foreign and domestic policies were readjusted to place greater emphasis on European affairs’ (p.278). UK government ministers and officials would benefit from reading Aqui’s work to understand that the UK’s membership was, and has been, controversial, and that discussions around the expected transformation of the UK’s relationship with Europe are part of a longer narrative than more recent discussions on Brexit might suggest.