The New Statesman: politics and culture The long and winding road to Brexit | Tom McTague interview
Sep 6, 2025
Tom McTague, editor of the New Statesman and author of 'Between the Waves', delves into Britain’s complex historical relationship with Europe. He discusses the rise of optimism during the early 2000s under Tony Blair, contrasted by the skepticism post-2008 financial crash. McTague highlights key political figures and decisions that shaped the discourse around Brexit, exploring the evolution of Euroscepticism and its ties to British identity. The podcast also examines the emotional landscapes surrounding the Brexit debate and its implications for national identity.
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Algiers 1942 As The Origin Point
- Tom McTague traces postwar British-Europe tensions back to Algiers 1942 where key figures like Jean Monnet and Enoch Powell crossed paths.
- That moment seeded opposing visions: Monnet's federal Europe and Powell's imperial-national reaction, shaping decades of policy.
Cold War Enabled Federal Europe
- Monnet's federal solution relied on American security guarantees that allowed France to accept German economic recovery.
- The US-Soviet Cold War realigned Europe and made federal integration politically possible and strategically desirable.
Enoch Powell's Personal Collapse
- McTague describes a devastated Enoch Powell after India's independence who pivoted from empire dreams to English nationalism.
- Powell then refocused on resurrecting Britain as a nation and later led anti-immigration and Eurosceptic campaigns.
