Abstract:
The article analyses Great Britain’s specifics in the context of European integration. The key
factors, which separate the United Kingdom from its continental neighbours, are it's being an island
state, having a historical past of a great superstate, strong and long-lasting relations with the USA.
All these factors had their specific impact on forming Great Britain’s unique political attitude and
behaviour. They have also determined a multi-vector British identity for the British see themselves as
a part of a British nation, a part of a Trans-Atlantic alliance as well as a part of a large European
community. In the last decades, an ethnic component of identity has become significant. Thus, such
identity levels as national, ethnic and pan European have been singled out. The Maastricht Treaty
was perhaps the key element of certain finalising of the European integration process as it de-facto
created the European Union that we know today. The process of its adoption and ratification has
been analysed in the article. It has been concluded that signing the treaty has deepened the differences
between the euro-enthusiasts and euro-sceptics in the society in general and within political circles
in particular and has also caused a conflict within the Tori Party which has first led to a defeat at the
parliamentary elections in 1997 and had many other manifestations in the following years, the Brexit
is one of the most prominent and visible results of the aforementioned phenomena.
