This work puts certain aspects of Britain's relationship with the EU under the microscope, examining the evidence for Britain's reputation as an "awkward partner". It focuses on the policy of successive Conservative governments, particularly the Conservative government of 1979 to 1997.

This book examines Britian's reputation as an "awkward partner" in the E.U. Jim Buller focuses on the policy of successive Conservative governments, asking why one of the most electorally successful political parties in the twentieth century eventually tore itself apart over Europe.Isolating key events, Buller analyzes the motivations of the Conservative governments. He argues that far from being a "semi-detatched" partner, British economic policy was increasingly Europeanized" during this period.