Abstract:
9 May 1950 was a milestone in the history of European Integration when the French ForeignMinister Robert Schuman proposed the pooling of French and West German supplies of coal andsteel; and made an invitation to other European states willing to be involved in this plan. Theinvitation for the conference on Schuman Plan came to the agenda of British Parliament on 26June as a motion by Conservative Party demanding Labour Party Government to accept theinvitation which had already been declined at the end of May, 1950. Following the debate on 26-27 June, The Economist published an article titled “Broker or Brakeman?” in which the SchumanPlan discussions on British Parliament were explored. The Journal was arguing that “it is theresemblances, not the differences, between the outlook of Government and Opposition that aremost striking” on this issue of foreign policy. Although this argument makes sense to a certainextent; this study argues that it was the adversarial nature of British party politics that shaped thegeneral structure of the above mentioned parliamentary debate. Moreover, this nature contributedthe decision makers to apply exceptionalist discourses and policies when it came to EuropeanIntegration, therefore to a British non-involvement in the Plan.