British Media Representations of Europe

In 2003 the Convention on the Future of the EU presented its draft proposal for an EU constitutional treaty. The question of a single constitutional text has, however, sparked a variety of national discourses - from which the British one stands out for its general opposition to the plan. The British discourse is conditioned by a rather sceptic approach to the European project in general and by the national political and constitutional framework. This study analyses the coverage of the European constitutional treaty in two of the leading British quality newspapers with regard to quantitative and qualitative features. The main characteristics of the British press discourse during the stages of the European constitutional debate (2000-2005) are shown and an interesting case study into the depth of the constitutional debate and related issues is offered. The study illustrates how the specific British context and the discursive focus on national sovereignty have influenced the media coverage on the EU constitution as a highly controversial issue. Readers interested in British European politics and representations of Europe in the media will find this study an interesting read.