CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html class="client-nojs vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-sticky-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-night-mode-enabled skin-theme-clientpref-day vector-toc-available" lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>Bruges speech - Wikipedia</title> <script>(function(){var className="client-js vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-sticky-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-night-mode-enabled skin-theme-clientpref-day vector-toc-available";var cookie=document.cookie.match(/(?:^|; )enwikimwclientpreferences=([^;]+)/);if(cookie){cookie[1].split('%2C').forEach(function(pref){className=className.replace(new RegExp('(^| )'+pref.replace(/-clientpref-\w+$|[^\w-]+/g,'')+'-clientpref-\\w+( |$)'),'$1'+pref+'$2');});}document.documentElement.className=className;}());RLCONF={"wgBreakFrames":false,"wgSeparatorTransformTable":["",""],"wgDigitTransformTable":["",""],"wgDefaultDateFormat":"dmy", "wgMonthNames":["","January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"],"wgRequestId":"4dbba217-5ddd-4f32-8fe1-09a620658770","wgCanonicalNamespace":"","wgCanonicalSpecialPageName":false,"wgNamespaceNumber":0,"wgPageName":"Bruges_speech","wgTitle":"Bruges speech","wgCurRevisionId":1226058109,"wgRevisionId":1226058109,"wgArticleId":66090880,"wgIsArticle":true,"wgIsRedirect":false,"wgAction":"view","wgUserName":null,"wgUserGroups":["*"],"wgCategories":["Articles with Encyclopædia Britannica links","EngvarB from June 2022","Articles with short description","Short description matches Wikidata","1988 in Belgium","1988 in British politics","1988 in international relations","1988 speeches","Euroscepticism in the United Kingdom","History of Bruges","September 1988 events in Europe","Speeches by Margaret Thatcher"],"wgPageViewLanguage":"en","wgPageContentLanguage":"en","wgPageContentModel":"wikitext","wgRelevantPageName":"Bruges_speech", "wgRelevantArticleId":66090880,"wgIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRelevantPageIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRestrictionEdit":[],"wgRestrictionMove":[],"wgNoticeProject":"wikipedia","wgCiteReferencePreviewsActive":false,"wgFlaggedRevsParams":{"tags":{"status":{"levels":1}}},"wgMediaViewerOnClick":true,"wgMediaViewerEnabledByDefault":true,"wgPopupsFlags":0,"wgVisualEditor":{"pageLanguageCode":"en","pageLanguageDir":"ltr","pageVariantFallbacks":"en"},"wgMFDisplayWikibaseDescriptions":{"search":true,"watchlist":true,"tagline":false,"nearby":true},"wgWMESchemaEditAttemptStepOversample":false,"wgWMEPageLength":20000,"wgRelatedArticlesCompat":[],"wgCentralAuthMobileDomain":false,"wgEditSubmitButtonLabelPublish":true,"wgULSPosition":"interlanguage","wgULSisCompactLinksEnabled":false,"wgVector2022LanguageInHeader":true,"wgULSisLanguageSelectorEmpty":false,"wgWikibaseItemId":"Q3030165","wgCheckUserClientHintsHeadersJsApi":["brands","architecture","bitness","fullVersionList","mobile","model","platform" ,"platformVersion"],"GEHomepageSuggestedEditsEnableTopics":true,"wgGETopicsMatchModeEnabled":false,"wgGEStructuredTaskRejectionReasonTextInputEnabled":false,"wgGELevelingUpEnabledForUser":false};RLSTATE={"ext.globalCssJs.user.styles":"ready","site.styles":"ready","user.styles":"ready","ext.globalCssJs.user":"ready","user":"ready","user.options":"loading","ext.cite.styles":"ready","skins.vector.search.codex.styles":"ready","skins.vector.styles":"ready","skins.vector.icons":"ready","jquery.makeCollapsible.styles":"ready","ext.wikimediamessages.styles":"ready","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript":"ready","ext.uls.interlanguage":"ready","wikibase.client.init":"ready","ext.wikimediaBadges":"ready"};RLPAGEMODULES=["ext.cite.ux-enhancements","mediawiki.page.media","site","mediawiki.page.ready","jquery.makeCollapsible","mediawiki.toc","skins.vector.js","ext.centralNotice.geoIP","ext.centralNotice.startUp","ext.gadget.ReferenceTooltips","ext.gadget.switcher", "ext.urlShortener.toolbar","ext.centralauth.centralautologin","mmv.bootstrap","ext.popups","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.init","ext.visualEditor.targetLoader","ext.echo.centralauth","ext.eventLogging","ext.wikimediaEvents","ext.navigationTiming","ext.uls.interface","ext.cx.eventlogging.campaigns","ext.cx.uls.quick.actions","wikibase.client.vector-2022","ext.checkUser.clientHints","ext.growthExperiments.SuggestedEditSession","wikibase.sidebar.tracking"];</script> <script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.loader.impl(function(){return["user.options@12s5i",function($,jQuery,require,module){mw.user.tokens.set({"patrolToken":"+\\","watchToken":"+\\","csrfToken":"+\\"}); }];});});</script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=ext.cite.styles%7Cext.uls.interlanguage%7Cext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript%7Cext.wikimediaBadges%7Cext.wikimediamessages.styles%7Cjquery.makeCollapsible.styles%7Cskins.vector.icons%2Cstyles%7Cskins.vector.search.codex.styles%7Cwikibase.client.init&only=styles&skin=vector-2022"> <script async="" src="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=startup&only=scripts&raw=1&skin=vector-2022"></script> <meta name="ResourceLoaderDynamicStyles" content=""> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=site.styles&only=styles&skin=vector-2022"> <meta name="generator" content="MediaWiki 1.44.0-wmf.4"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin-when-cross-origin"> <meta name="robots" content="max-image-preview:standard"> <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Margaret_Thatcher_%281987%29.jpg/1200px-Margaret_Thatcher_%281987%29.jpg"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="1200"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="1601"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Margaret_Thatcher_%281987%29.jpg/800px-Margaret_Thatcher_%281987%29.jpg"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="800"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="1067"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Margaret_Thatcher_%281987%29.jpg/640px-Margaret_Thatcher_%281987%29.jpg"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="640"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="854"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=1120"> <meta property="og:title" content="Bruges speech - Wikipedia"> <meta property="og:type" content="website"> <link rel="preconnect" href="//upload.wikimedia.org"> <link rel="alternate" media="only screen and (max-width: 640px)" href="//en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruges_speech"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/x-wiki" title="Edit this page" href="/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&action=edit"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png"> <link rel="icon" href="/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico"> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="/w/rest.php/v1/search" title="Wikipedia (en)"> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" href="//en.wikipedia.org/w/api.php?action=rsd"> <link rel="canonical" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruges_speech"> <link rel="license" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="Wikipedia Atom feed" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges&feed=atom"> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//meta.wikimedia.org" /> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//login.wikimedia.org"> </head> <body class="skin--responsive skin-vector skin-vector-search-vue mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject mw-editable page-Bruges_speech rootpage-Bruges_speech skin-vector-2022 action-view"><a class="mw-jump-link" href="#bodyContent">Jump to content</a> <div class="vector-header-container"> <header class="vector-header mw-header"> <div class="vector-header-start"> <nav class="vector-main-menu-landmark" aria-label="Site"> <div id="vector-main-menu-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-main-menu-dropdown vector-button-flush-left vector-button-flush-right" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-main-menu-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-main-menu-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Main menu" > <label id="vector-main-menu-dropdown-label" for="vector-main-menu-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-menu mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-menu"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Main menu</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-main-menu-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> <div id="vector-main-menu" class="vector-main-menu vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-main-menu-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-unpinned" data-feature-name="main-menu-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-main-menu" data-pinned-container-id="vector-main-menu-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-main-menu-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Main menu</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-main-menu.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-main-menu.unpin">hide</button> </div> <div id="p-navigation" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-navigation" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Navigation </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="n-mainpage-description" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Main_Page" title="Visit the main page [z]" accesskey="z"><span>Main page</span></a></li><li id="n-contents" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents" title="Guides to browsing Wikipedia"><span>Contents</span></a></li><li id="n-currentevents" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Portal:Current_events" title="Articles related to current events"><span>Current events</span></a></li><li id="n-randompage" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:Random" title="Visit a randomly selected article [x]" accesskey="x"><span>Random article</span></a></li><li id="n-aboutsite" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:About" title="Learn about Wikipedia and how it works"><span>About Wikipedia</span></a></li><li id="n-contactpage" class="mw-list-item"><a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us" title="How to contact Wikipedia"><span>Contact us</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-interaction" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-interaction" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Contribute </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="n-help" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Contents" title="Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia"><span>Help</span></a></li><li id="n-introduction" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Introduction" title="Learn how to edit Wikipedia"><span>Learn to edit</span></a></li><li id="n-portal" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Community_portal" title="The hub for editors"><span>Community portal</span></a></li><li id="n-recentchanges" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChanges" title="A list of recent changes to Wikipedia [r]" accesskey="r"><span>Recent changes</span></a></li><li id="n-upload" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:File_upload_wizard" title="Add images or other media for use on Wikipedia"><span>Upload file</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <a href="/wiki/Main_Page" class="mw-logo"> <img class="mw-logo-icon" src="/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png" alt="" aria-hidden="true" height="50" width="50"> <span class="mw-logo-container skin-invert"> <img class="mw-logo-wordmark" alt="Wikipedia" src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg" style="width: 7.5em; height: 1.125em;"> <img class="mw-logo-tagline" alt="The Free Encyclopedia" src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg" width="117" height="13" style="width: 7.3125em; height: 0.8125em;"> </span> </a> </div> <div class="vector-header-end"> <div id="p-search" role="search" class="vector-search-box-vue vector-search-box-collapses vector-search-box-show-thumbnail vector-search-box-auto-expand-width vector-search-box"> <a href="/wiki/Special:Search" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only search-toggle" title="Search Wikipedia [f]" accesskey="f"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-search mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-search"></span> <span>Search</span> </a> <div class="vector-typeahead-search-container"> <div class="cdx-typeahead-search cdx-typeahead-search--show-thumbnail cdx-typeahead-search--auto-expand-width"> <form action="/w/index.php" id="searchform" class="cdx-search-input cdx-search-input--has-end-button"> <div id="simpleSearch" class="cdx-search-input__input-wrapper" data-search-loc="header-moved"> <div class="cdx-text-input cdx-text-input--has-start-icon"> <input class="cdx-text-input__input" type="search" name="search" placeholder="Search Wikipedia" aria-label="Search Wikipedia" autocapitalize="sentences" title="Search Wikipedia [f]" accesskey="f" id="searchInput" > <span class="cdx-text-input__icon cdx-text-input__start-icon"></span> </div> <input type="hidden" name="title" value="Special:Search"> </div> <button class="cdx-button cdx-search-input__end-button">Search</button> </form> </div> </div> </div> <nav class="vector-user-links vector-user-links-wide" aria-label="Personal tools"> <div class="vector-user-links-main"> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-preferences" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-userpage" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <nav class="vector-appearance-landmark" aria-label="Appearance"> <div id="vector-appearance-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown " title="Change the appearance of the page's font size, width, and color" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-appearance-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-appearance-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Appearance" > <label id="vector-appearance-dropdown-label" for="vector-appearance-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-appearance mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-appearance"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Appearance</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-notifications" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-overflow" class="vector-menu mw-portlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-sitesupport-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="https://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserRedirector?utm_source=donate&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_campaign=C13_en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en" class=""><span>Donate</span></a> </li> <li id="pt-createaccount-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=Bruges+speech" title="You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory" class=""><span>Create account</span></a> </li> <li id="pt-login-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Bruges+speech" title="You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [o]" accesskey="o" class=""><span>Log in</span></a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="vector-user-links-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-user-menu vector-button-flush-right vector-user-menu-logged-out" title="Log in and more options" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-user-links-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-user-links-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Personal tools" > <label id="vector-user-links-dropdown-label" for="vector-user-links-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-ellipsis mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-ellipsis"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Personal tools</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="p-personal" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-personal user-links-collapsible-item" title="User menu" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-sitesupport" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="https://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserRedirector?utm_source=donate&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_campaign=C13_en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en"><span>Donate</span></a></li><li id="pt-createaccount" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=Bruges+speech" title="You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-userAdd mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-userAdd"></span> <span>Create account</span></a></li><li id="pt-login" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Bruges+speech" title="You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [o]" accesskey="o"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-logIn mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-logIn"></span> <span>Log in</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-user-menu-anon-editor" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-user-menu-anon-editor" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Pages for logged out editors <a href="/wiki/Help:Introduction" aria-label="Learn more about editing"><span>learn more</span></a> </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-anoncontribs" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:MyContributions" title="A list of edits made from this IP address [y]" accesskey="y"><span>Contributions</span></a></li><li id="pt-anontalk" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:MyTalk" title="Discussion about edits from this IP address [n]" accesskey="n"><span>Talk</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </header> </div> <div class="mw-page-container"> <div class="mw-page-container-inner"> <div class="vector-sitenotice-container"> <div id="siteNotice"></div> </div> <div class="vector-column-start"> <div class="vector-main-menu-container"> <div id="mw-navigation"> <nav id="mw-panel" class="vector-main-menu-landmark" aria-label="Site"> <div id="vector-main-menu-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="vector-sticky-pinned-container"> <nav id="mw-panel-toc" aria-label="Contents" data-event-name="ui.sidebar-toc" class="mw-table-of-contents-container vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-toc-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> <div id="vector-toc" class="vector-toc vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-toc-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="toc-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-toc" > <h2 class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Contents</h2> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.unpin">hide</button> </div> <ul class="vector-toc-contents" id="mw-panel-toc-list"> <li id="toc-mw-content-text" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a href="#" class="vector-toc-link"> <div class="vector-toc-text">(Top)</div> </a> </li> <li id="toc-Background" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Background"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1</span> <span>Background</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Background-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Speech" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Speech"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Speech</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Speech-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Impact" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Impact"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Impact</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Impact-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruges speech</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 3 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-3" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">3 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-el mw-list-item"><a href="https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9F_%CE%BB%CF%8C%CE%B3%CE%BF%CF%82_%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82_%CE%9C%CF%80%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B6" title="Ο λόγος της Μπριζ – Greek" lang="el" hreflang="el" data-title="Ο λόγος της Μπριζ" data-language-autonym="Ελληνικά" data-language-local-name="Greek" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Ελληνικά</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discours_de_Bruges" title="Discours de Bruges – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Discours de Bruges" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lmo mw-list-item"><a href="https://lmo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Descor_de_Bruges" title="Descor de Bruges – Lombard" lang="lmo" hreflang="lmo" data-title="Descor de Bruges" data-language-autonym="Lombard" data-language-local-name="Lombard" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Lombard</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q3030165#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="vector-page-toolbar"> <div class="vector-page-toolbar-container"> <div id="left-navigation"> <nav aria-label="Namespaces"> <div id="p-associated-pages" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-associated-pages" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-nstab-main" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Bruges_speech" title="View the content page [c]" accesskey="c"><span>Article</span></a></li><li id="ca-talk" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Talk:Bruges_speech" rel="discussion" title="Discuss improvements to the content page [t]" accesskey="t"><span>Talk</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="vector-variants-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown emptyPortlet" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-variants-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-variants-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Change language variant" > <label id="vector-variants-dropdown-label" for="vector-variants-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">English</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="p-variants" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-variants emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> <div id="right-navigation" class="vector-collapsible"> <nav aria-label="Views"> <div id="p-views" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-views" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-view" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Bruges_speech"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-edit" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&action=edit" title="Edit this page [e]" accesskey="e"><span>Edit</span></a></li><li id="ca-history" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&action=history" title="Past revisions of this page [h]" accesskey="h"><span>View history</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> <nav class="vector-page-tools-landmark" aria-label="Page tools"> <div id="vector-page-tools-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-tools-dropdown" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-tools-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-tools-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Tools" > <label id="vector-page-tools-dropdown-label" for="vector-page-tools-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Tools</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-tools-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> <div id="vector-page-tools" class="vector-page-tools vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-page-tools-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-unpinned" data-feature-name="page-tools-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-page-tools" data-pinned-container-id="vector-page-tools-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-page-tools-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Tools</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-page-tools.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-page-tools.unpin">hide</button> </div> <div id="p-cactions" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-cactions emptyPortlet vector-has-collapsible-items" title="More options" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Actions </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-more-view" class="selected vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Bruges_speech"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-more-edit" class="vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&action=edit" title="Edit this page [e]" accesskey="e"><span>Edit</span></a></li><li id="ca-more-history" class="vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&action=history"><span>View history</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-tb" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-tb" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> General </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="t-whatlinkshere" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:WhatLinksHere/Bruges_speech" title="List of all English Wikipedia pages containing links to this page [j]" accesskey="j"><span>What links here</span></a></li><li id="t-recentchangeslinked" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChangesLinked/Bruges_speech" rel="nofollow" title="Recent changes in pages linked from this page [k]" accesskey="k"><span>Related changes</span></a></li><li id="t-upload" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:File_Upload_Wizard" title="Upload files [u]" accesskey="u"><span>Upload file</span></a></li><li id="t-specialpages" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:SpecialPages" title="A list of all special pages [q]" accesskey="q"><span>Special pages</span></a></li><li id="t-permalink" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&oldid=1226058109" title="Permanent link to this revision of this page"><span>Permanent link</span></a></li><li id="t-info" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&action=info" title="More information about this page"><span>Page information</span></a></li><li id="t-cite" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CiteThisPage&page=Bruges_speech&id=1226058109&wpFormIdentifier=titleform" title="Information on how to cite this page"><span>Cite this page</span></a></li><li id="t-urlshortener" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UrlShortener&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBruges_speech"><span>Get shortened URL</span></a></li><li id="t-urlshortener-qrcode" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:QrCode&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBruges_speech"><span>Download QR code</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-coll-print_export" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-coll-print_export" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Print/export </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="coll-download-as-rl" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:DownloadAsPdf&page=Bruges_speech&action=show-download-screen" title="Download this page as a PDF file"><span>Download as PDF</span></a></li><li id="t-print" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&printable=yes" title="Printable version of this page [p]" accesskey="p"><span>Printable version</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-wikibase-otherprojects" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-wikibase-otherprojects" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> In other projects </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="t-wikibase" class="wb-otherproject-link wb-otherproject-wikibase-dataitem mw-list-item"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q3030165" title="Structured data on this page hosted by Wikidata [g]" accesskey="g"><span>Wikidata item</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-column-end"> <div class="vector-sticky-pinned-container"> <nav class="vector-page-tools-landmark" aria-label="Page tools"> <div id="vector-page-tools-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> </div> </nav> <nav class="vector-appearance-landmark" aria-label="Appearance"> <div id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> <div id="vector-appearance" class="vector-appearance vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-appearance-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="appearance-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-appearance" data-pinned-container-id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Appearance</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.unpin">hide</button> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">1988 speech by Margaret Thatcher</div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Margaret_Thatcher_(1987).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Margaret_Thatcher_%281987%29.jpg/170px-Margaret_Thatcher_%281987%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="170" height="227" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Margaret_Thatcher_%281987%29.jpg/255px-Margaret_Thatcher_%281987%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Margaret_Thatcher_%281987%29.jpg/340px-Margaret_Thatcher_%281987%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2013" data-file-height="2685" /></a><figcaption>Prime Minister <a href="/wiki/Margaret_Thatcher" title="Margaret Thatcher">Margaret Thatcher</a> in 1987</figcaption></figure> <p>The <b>Bruges speech</b> was given by British prime minister <a href="/wiki/Margaret_Thatcher" title="Margaret Thatcher">Margaret Thatcher</a> to the <a href="/wiki/College_of_Europe" title="College of Europe">College of Europe</a> at the <a href="/wiki/Belfry_of_Bruges" title="Belfry of Bruges">Belfry of Bruges</a>, Belgium, on 20 September 1988. Thatcher was opposed to any moves to transition the <a href="/wiki/European_Economic_Community" title="European Economic Community">European Economic Community</a> (EEC) into a <a href="/wiki/Federal_Europe" title="Federal Europe">federal Europe</a> that would take powers away from its members. She considered <a href="/wiki/European_Commission" title="European Commission">European Commission</a> president <a href="/wiki/Jacques_Delors" title="Jacques Delors">Jacques Delors</a> a campaigner for <a href="/wiki/Federalisation_of_the_European_Union" title="Federalisation of the European Union">federalisation</a> and clashed with him publicly. Earlier in 1988, Delors had reaffirmed his commitment for the EEC to take a greater role in establishing European economic, fiscal and social legislation, which Thatcher considered provocative. On 8 September, Delors spoke to Britain's <a href="/wiki/Trades_Union_Congress" title="Trades Union Congress">Trades Union Congress</a>, calling for their support. </p><p>Thatcher had been invited to speak to the College of Europe in Bruges and decided to make her text a response to Delors' speech of 8 September. Thatcher's speech recounted Britain's history within and close connection to Europe and called for the EEC to resist a move towards <a href="/wiki/Centralisation_of_power" class="mw-redirect" title="Centralisation of power">centralisation of power</a>. She called for reforms to the <a href="/wiki/Common_Agricultural_Policy" title="Common Agricultural Policy">Common Agricultural Policy</a> and for the EEC to continue to support the work of <a href="/wiki/NATO" title="NATO">NATO</a>. One of the most famous and controversial passages was her remark that "we have not embarked on the business of throwing back the frontiers of state at home only to see a <a href="/wiki/European_superstate" class="mw-redirect" title="European superstate">European superstate</a> getting ready to exercise a new dominance from Brussels". </p><p>Despite its commitment that Britain would work within the EEC to reform it, the speech was perceived as <a href="/wiki/Anti-Europe" class="mw-redirect" title="Anti-Europe">anti-Europe</a>. The speech exposed a divide in the <a href="/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">Conservative Party</a> between those favouring federalisation and the majority who opposed it. Thatcher's foreign secretary <a href="/wiki/Geoffrey_Howe" title="Geoffrey Howe">Geoffrey Howe</a> was greatly affected by the speech; his later support, with Chancellor of the Exchequer <a href="/wiki/Nigel_Lawson" title="Nigel Lawson">Nigel Lawson</a>, for Britain to join the <a href="/wiki/European_Exchange_Rate_Mechanism" title="European Exchange Rate Mechanism">European Exchange Rate Mechanism</a> eventually led to Thatcher's resignation. The <a href="/wiki/Bruges_Group_(United_Kingdom)" title="Bruges Group (United Kingdom)">Bruges Group</a>, a <a href="/wiki/British_Eurosceptic" class="mw-redirect" title="British Eurosceptic">British Eurosceptic</a> think tank, was named after the speech. Some have described it as "setting the UK on the path to <a href="/wiki/Brexit" title="Brexit">Brexit</a>". </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Background">Background</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Background"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:President_Mitterand_bij_slotzitting_Europa_Congres_Jacques_Delors_(voorzitter_,_Bestanddeelnr_934-2445.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/President_Mitterand_bij_slotzitting_Europa_Congres_Jacques_Delors_%28voorzitter_%2C_Bestanddeelnr_934-2445.jpg/260px-President_Mitterand_bij_slotzitting_Europa_Congres_Jacques_Delors_%28voorzitter_%2C_Bestanddeelnr_934-2445.jpg" decoding="async" width="260" height="173" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/President_Mitterand_bij_slotzitting_Europa_Congres_Jacques_Delors_%28voorzitter_%2C_Bestanddeelnr_934-2445.jpg/390px-President_Mitterand_bij_slotzitting_Europa_Congres_Jacques_Delors_%28voorzitter_%2C_Bestanddeelnr_934-2445.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/President_Mitterand_bij_slotzitting_Europa_Congres_Jacques_Delors_%28voorzitter_%2C_Bestanddeelnr_934-2445.jpg/520px-President_Mitterand_bij_slotzitting_Europa_Congres_Jacques_Delors_%28voorzitter_%2C_Bestanddeelnr_934-2445.jpg 2x" data-file-width="3739" data-file-height="2481" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/European_Commission" title="European Commission">European Commission</a> president <a href="/wiki/Jacques_Delors" title="Jacques Delors">Jacques Delors</a> (<i>pictured</i> in 1988)</figcaption></figure> <p>The <a href="/wiki/European_Economic_Community" title="European Economic Community">European Economic Community</a> (EEC), a <a href="/wiki/Common_market" class="mw-redirect" title="Common market">common market</a> and <a href="/wiki/Customs_union" title="Customs union">customs union</a> for Western European states, was formed by the <a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Rome" title="Treaty of Rome">Treaty of Rome</a> in 1957. The <a href="/wiki/Accession_of_the_United_Kingdom_to_the_European_Communities" title="Accession of the United Kingdom to the European Communities">United Kingdom joined</a> the organisation in 1973; by 1986, it included most non-Communist European states. The 1987 <a href="/wiki/Single_European_Act" title="Single European Act">Single European Act</a> gave the Community's governing bodies (the <a href="/wiki/European_Commission" title="European Commission">European Commission</a>, <a href="/wiki/European_Parliament" title="European Parliament">European Parliament</a> and <a href="/wiki/Council_of_the_European_Union" title="Council of the European Union">Council of Ministers</a>) greater roles in managing policies on the environment, health, education and other areas.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/Margaret_Thatcher" title="Margaret Thatcher">Margaret Thatcher</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Prime_minister_of_the_United_Kingdom" class="mw-redirect" title="Prime minister of the United Kingdom">prime minister of the United Kingdom</a>, resented the power being granted to the Commission and its president <a href="/wiki/Jacques_Delors" title="Jacques Delors">Jacques Delors</a>, who she considered a leading campaigner for a <a href="/wiki/Federal_Europe" title="Federal Europe">federal Europe</a>. Thatcher and Delors became involved in several public clashes, which dismayed Thatcher's foreign secretary <a href="/wiki/Geoffrey_Howe" title="Geoffrey Howe">Geoffrey Howe</a>, who was more sympathetic to Delors' policies.<sup id="cite_ref-moore_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-moore-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On 6 July 1988, Delors spoke to the European Parliament and predicted that "10 years hence, 80 per cent of our economic legislation, and perhaps even our fiscal and social legislation, will be of Community origin". Thatcher perceived this as a provocation, a deliberate <i lang="en"><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cross_the_Rubicon#English" class="extiw" title="wikt:cross the Rubicon">crossing of the Rubicon</a></i> away from <a href="/wiki/National_sovereignty" class="mw-redirect" title="National sovereignty">national sovereignty</a> and towards federation.<sup id="cite_ref-moore_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-moore-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Delors made a speech to the <a href="/wiki/Trades_Union_Congress" title="Trades Union Congress">Trades Union Congress</a> (TUC) on 8 September, calling for their support for the Commission's attempts to strengthen the powers of unions. Thatcher had previously clashed with the <a href="/wiki/Trade_unions_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Trade unions in the United Kingdom">trade unions</a> during her successful campaign to strengthen the <a href="/wiki/British_economy" class="mw-redirect" title="British economy">British economy</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-willetts_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-willetts-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Thatcher decided to use an upcoming speech to the <a href="/wiki/College_of_Europe" title="College of Europe">College of Europe</a>, an academic organisation based in <a href="/wiki/Bruges,_Belgium" class="mw-redirect" title="Bruges, Belgium">Bruges, Belgium</a>, to respond to Delors' speech to the TUC. The year marked a dramatic change in Thatcher's position on Europe from pragmatic acceptance to distinct opposition to further integration, which she would reflect in the speech.<sup id="cite_ref-willetts_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-willetts-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Much of Thatcher's speech was drafted by her foreign-policy adviser <a href="/wiki/Charles_Powell,_Baron_Powell_of_Bayswater" title="Charles Powell, Baron Powell of Bayswater">Charles Powell</a> and Conservative peer <a href="/wiki/Hugh_Thomas,_Baron_Thomas_of_Swynnerton" title="Hugh Thomas, Baron Thomas of Swynnerton">Hugh Thomas, Baron Thomas of Swynnerton</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-dixon_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-dixon-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-willetts_3-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-willetts-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Drafts of the speech were sent to the <a href="/wiki/Foreign_Office" class="mw-redirect" title="Foreign Office">Foreign Office</a> for review. Howe noted that there were "some plain and fundamental errors" and did not like references to a <a href="/wiki/United_States_of_Europe" class="mw-redirect" title="United States of Europe">United States of Europe</a>. He did not object to it, although the final version of the speech contained some significant changes. Howe did praise one passage in the draft that remained unchanged in the final version: "let me say bluntly on behalf of Britain: we have not embarked on the business of throwing back the frontiers of state at home only to see a European superstate getting ready to exercise a new dominance from Brussels". This passage would become one of the most controversial of the speech.<sup id="cite_ref-moore_2-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-moore-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Speech">Speech</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Speech"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox" style="clear: right; float:right;margin:0 0 1.5em 1.5em"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="font-size:115%">External videos</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-subheader" style="font-style: italic">Speech to the <a href="/wiki/College_of_Europe" title="College of Europe">College of Europe</a><sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span class="mw-default-size mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="/wiki/File:Bruges_Market_Square_and_Belfry.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="Market square and Belfry of Bruges, Belgium"><img alt="Market square and Belfry of Bruges, Belgium" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Bruges_Market_Square_and_Belfry.jpg/220px-Bruges_Market_Square_and_Belfry.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="186" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Bruges_Market_Square_and_Belfry.jpg/330px-Bruges_Market_Square_and_Belfry.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Bruges_Market_Square_and_Belfry.jpg/440px-Bruges_Market_Square_and_Belfry.jpg 2x" data-file-width="3819" data-file-height="3236" /></a></span><div class="infobox-caption"><a href="/wiki/Belfry_of_Bruges" title="Belfry of Bruges">Belfry of Bruges</a> (<i>pictured</i> in 2008)</div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="text-align: left"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="video icon" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Nuvola_apps_kaboodle.svg/16px-Nuvola_apps_kaboodle.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Nuvola_apps_kaboodle.svg/24px-Nuvola_apps_kaboodle.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Nuvola_apps_kaboodle.svg/32px-Nuvola_apps_kaboodle.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="128" data-file-height="128" /></span></span> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation speech cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/113688"><i>[Film]</i></a> (Speech) – via the Margaret Thatcher Foundation.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=%5BFilm%5D&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.margaretthatcher.org%2Fdocument%2F113688&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABruges+speech" class="Z3988"></span></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The speech was to be in a hall at the historic <a href="/wiki/Belfry_of_Bruges" title="Belfry of Bruges">Belfry of Bruges</a> on 20 September 1988.<sup id="cite_ref-moore_2-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-moore-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Thatcher had planned to use an <a href="/wiki/Autocue" title="Autocue">autocue</a> but because of the venue's layout, with most of the audience sat to her sides, she chose to speak from her paper notes. She deviated slightly from the text but not in any politically meaningful manner.<sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A copy was sent in advance to Delors and, having read it, he refused to attend the event.<sup id="cite_ref-dixon_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-dixon-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Belgian prime minister, <a href="/wiki/Wilfried_Martens" title="Wilfried Martens">Wilfried Martens</a>, was in the audience.<sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Thatcher began her speech by noting that her last appearance before the College had been shortly after the <a href="/wiki/Zeebrugge_ferry_disaster" class="mw-redirect" title="Zeebrugge ferry disaster">Zeebrugge ferry disaster</a>, in which Belgians had saved many British lives. Thatcher also praised the College's rector, Professor <a href="/wiki/Jerzy_%C5%81ukaszewski" title="Jerzy Łukaszewski">Jerzy Łukaszewski</a>, and the institution's role in the EEC. She went on to reference Bruges' long history and the city's association with English literary figures such as <a href="/wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucer" title="Geoffrey Chaucer">Geoffrey Chaucer</a> and <a href="/wiki/William_Caxton" title="William Caxton">William Caxton</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> She thanked the College for having the courage to invite her to speak on the topic of Europe and noted that some federalists would regard it as "rather like inviting <a href="/wiki/Genghis_Khan" title="Genghis Khan">Genghis Khan</a> to speak on the virtues of <a href="/wiki/Peaceful_coexistence" title="Peaceful coexistence">peaceful coexistence</a>".<sup id="cite_ref-moore_2-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-moore-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Thatcher stated that she believed that the <a href="/wiki/Culture_of_Europe" title="Culture of Europe">culture of Europe</a> did not begin when the Treaty of Rome was signed but was instead the product of thousands of years of shared history.<sup id="cite_ref-moore_2-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-moore-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> She noted that Britain had long been associated with Europe and that its ancestors were <a href="/wiki/Ancient_Rome" title="Ancient Rome">Romans</a>, <a href="/wiki/Celts" title="Celts">Celts</a>, <a href="/wiki/Saxons" title="Saxons">Saxons</a> and <a href="/wiki/Danes" title="Danes">Danes</a>. Thatcher stated that her "nation was—in that favourite Community word—'restructured' under the <a href="/wiki/House_of_Normandy" title="House of Normandy">Norman</a> and <a href="/wiki/Angevin_kings_of_England" title="Angevin kings of England">Angevin rule</a> in the eleventh and twelfth centuries" and referred to the <a href="/wiki/Glorious_Revolution" title="Glorious Revolution">Glorious Revolution</a> of 1688, where the Dutch <a href="/wiki/William_III_of_England" title="William III of England">William of Orange</a> ascended the English throne.<sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Thatcher afterwards noted Britain's history as a home for those fleeing tyranny on <a href="/wiki/Continental_Europe" title="Continental Europe">Continental Europe</a> and her later fights "to prevent Europe from falling under the dominance of a single power".<sup id="cite_ref-moore_2-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-moore-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In a passage that had not been in the original draft seen by Howe she referred to the <a href="/wiki/History_of_the_United_Kingdom_during_the_First_World_War" title="History of the United Kingdom during the First World War">British First World War</a> dead: "Only miles from here, in Belgium, lie the bodies of 120,000 British soldiers who died in the <a href="/wiki/First_World_War" class="mw-redirect" title="First World War">First World War</a>. Had it not been for that willingness to fight and to die, Europe would have been united long before now—but not in liberty, not in justice".<sup id="cite_ref-moore_2-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-moore-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> She afterwards noted that Britain had supported the <a href="/wiki/Resistance_during_World_War_II" title="Resistance during World War II">European resistance movements</a> against <a href="/wiki/Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany">Nazi Germany</a> in the <a href="/wiki/Second_World_War" class="mw-redirect" title="Second World War">Second World War</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Thatcher stated that Britain's commitment to Europe remained, as seen in the 70,000 <a href="/wiki/British_Armed_Forces" title="British Armed Forces">British Armed Forces</a> service members deployed on the continent.<sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> She urged the audience not to forget <a href="/wiki/Eastern_Bloc" title="Eastern Bloc">those parts of Europe under communist rule</a>, stating, "we shall always look on <a href="/wiki/Warsaw" title="Warsaw">Warsaw</a>, Prague and <a href="/wiki/Budapest" title="Budapest">Budapest</a> as great European cities".<sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-moore_2-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-moore-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Thatcher said that European values had led the United States of America to become a "valiant defender of freedom".<sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Thatcher then stated that "the European Community belongs to all its members. It must reflect the traditions and aspirations of all its members" and that Britain did not desire "some cosy, <a href="/wiki/Splendid_isolation" title="Splendid isolation">isolated existence</a> on the fringes of the European Community" but to remain within it. To ensure this, she asked the EEC not to become "ossified by endless regulation" and that it must respect each nation's customs and traditions and not try to mould them into a single <a href="/wiki/European_identity" class="mw-redirect" title="European identity">European identity</a>. She argued that the EEC should not look to model itself upon the US and that it seemed to be moving towards greater <a href="/wiki/Centralisation_of_power" class="mw-redirect" title="Centralisation of power">centralisation of power</a> at the same time that the <a href="/wiki/Soviet_Union" title="Soviet Union">Soviet Union</a> was moving away from it (<a href="/wiki/Perestroika" title="Perestroika">perestroika</a>).<sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Thatcher hailed the success of the February 1988 <a href="/wiki/European_Council" title="European Council">European Council</a> meeting in cutting expenditure on <a href="/wiki/Butter_mountain" title="Butter mountain">storing and disposing of food surpluses</a> generated by the <a href="/wiki/Common_Agricultural_Policy" title="Common Agricultural Policy">Common Agricultural Policy</a> (CAP) and called for continued reform of the CAP, which she described as "unwieldy, inefficient and grossly expensive". She suggested that by doing so, the agriculture budget could be redirected towards training and aid. Thatcher urged the EEC to learn the lessons of history that "<a href="/wiki/Central_planning" class="mw-redirect" title="Central planning">central planning</a> and detailed control do not work and that personal endeavour and initiative do" and to move towards <a href="/wiki/Free_enterprise" class="mw-redirect" title="Free enterprise">free enterprise</a> in a <a href="/wiki/Single_market" title="Single market">single market</a>. She stated, "of course, we want to make it easier for goods to pass through frontiers. Of course, we must make it easier for people to travel throughout the Community[,]" but some frontier controls were essential for security purposes. Thatcher argued against <a href="/wiki/Protectionism" title="Protectionism">protectionism</a> and in favour of <a href="/wiki/International_aid" class="mw-redirect" title="International aid">international aid</a> to <a href="/wiki/Developing_countries" class="mw-redirect" title="Developing countries">developing countries</a>. Thatcher stressed the importance of NATO and the US to the defence of Europe and argued that the <a href="/wiki/Western_European_Union" title="Western European Union">Western European Union</a> should not be seen as an alternative to NATO.<sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Thatcher concluded by arguing that Europe did not require any more treaties beyond the <a href="/wiki/North_Atlantic_Treaty" title="North Atlantic Treaty">North Atlantic Treaty</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Brussels_Treaty" class="mw-redirect" title="Brussels Treaty">Brussels Treaty</a> and the Treaty of Rome. Her closing remarks were: "Let Europe be a family of nations, understanding each other better, appreciating each other more, doing more together but relishing our <a href="/wiki/National_identity" title="National identity">national identity</a> no less than our common European endeavour. Let us have a Europe which plays its full part in the wider world, which looks outward not inward, and which preserves that <a href="/wiki/Atlantic_World" title="Atlantic World">Atlantic community</a>—that Europe on both sides of the Atlantic—which is our noblest inheritance and our greatest strength".<sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The text of the speech was released to the media at 17:30 GMT by the <a href="/wiki/10_Downing_Street" title="10 Downing Street">Downing Street</a> press office.<sup id="cite_ref-thatcher_5-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> After finishing her speech, Thatcher left the event with her husband, <a href="/wiki/Denis_Thatcher" title="Denis Thatcher">Denis</a>, and travelled to Brussels for an audience with <a href="/wiki/King_Baudouin" class="mw-redirect" title="King Baudouin">King Baudouin</a>. Afterwards, she had dinner with Prime Minister Martens and his cabinet members, during which a row erupted after Belgian foreign minister <a href="/wiki/Leo_Tindemans" title="Leo Tindemans">Leo Tindemans</a> made a federalist comment.<sup id="cite_ref-dixon_4-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-dixon-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Impact">Impact</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Impact"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Geoffrey_Howe_(1985).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="A silver-haired man in a black suit and tie" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Geoffrey_Howe_%281985%29.jpg/170px-Geoffrey_Howe_%281985%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="170" height="249" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Geoffrey_Howe_%281985%29.jpg/255px-Geoffrey_Howe_%281985%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Geoffrey_Howe_%281985%29.jpg/340px-Geoffrey_Howe_%281985%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="547" data-file-height="800" /></a><figcaption>Thatcher's foreign secretary <a href="/wiki/Geoffrey_Howe" title="Geoffrey Howe">Geoffrey Howe</a></figcaption></figure> <p>The speech was perceived as an attack on the "European project". However, Thatcher supported the <a href="/wiki/Common_Market" class="mw-redirect" title="Common Market">Common Market</a> and had intended the speech to be anti-federalist, not anti-Europe.<sup id="cite_ref-dixon_4-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-dixon-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Delors admitted that "technically it was a good speech, well written, beautiful phrases. She was very direct, very comprehensible" but considered it to be an attack on the EEC.<sup id="cite_ref-moore_2-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-moore-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Lord_Thomas_of_Swynnerton" class="mw-redirect" title="Lord Thomas of Swynnerton">Lord Thomas of Swynnerton</a> was at heart a <a href="/wiki/Europhile" title="Europhile">Europhile</a> and was disappointed that the speech was perceived as being anti-Europe.<sup id="cite_ref-dixon_4-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-dixon-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The speech was seen as a warning against expanding the remit of the EEC beyond the limits of the Treaty of Rome into the <a href="/wiki/Social_policy" title="Social policy">social policy</a> of member states. Though it did not mention socialism by name, the speech was seen as implying that the EEC was turning into a <a href="/wiki/Socialist_state" title="Socialist state">socialist state</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-willetts_3-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-willetts-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The author <a href="/wiki/Robin_Harris_(author)" title="Robin Harris (author)">Robin Harris</a> considered the speech the most important of Thatcher's prime-ministerial career. He regarded it as marking British resistance to the <a href="/wiki/Economic_and_Monetary_Union" class="mw-redirect" title="Economic and Monetary Union">Economic and Monetary Union</a> and setting out an alternative model for <a href="/wiki/European_cooperation" class="mw-redirect" title="European cooperation">European cooperation</a> under a <a href="/wiki/Voluntary_association" title="Voluntary association">voluntary association</a> of independent states.<sup id="cite_ref-tiersky_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-tiersky-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Though, in essence, a <a href="/wiki/Pro-European" class="mw-redirect" title="Pro-European">pro-European</a> speech, it quickly became a symbol of hostility to Europe, behind which Eurosceptics rallied.<sup id="cite_ref-green_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-green-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-startin_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-startin-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The address exposed a divide in the <a href="/wiki/Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Conservative Party (UK)">Conservative Party</a> between the minority of European federalists and the majority who were opposed.<sup id="cite_ref-tiersky_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-tiersky-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Former prime minister <a href="/wiki/Edward_Heath" title="Edward Heath">Edward Heath</a>, who had handled the original negotiations on the <a href="/wiki/British_accession_to_the_European_Communities" class="mw-redirect" title="British accession to the European Communities">British accession to the European Communities</a>, broke the precedent against criticising a sitting Government while the Prime Minister is engaged in foreign negotiations by travelling to <a href="/wiki/Brussels" title="Brussels">Brussels</a> while Thatcher was there to attend the <a href="/wiki/1988_Brussels_summit" title="1988 Brussels summit">1988 NATO summit</a> to deliver a rebuttal personally.<sup id="cite_ref-:02_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:02-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Bruges speech greatly affected Howe, who considered Thatcher's position to be at odds with his own, and on 4 May 1989 he met with the <a href="/wiki/Chancellor_of_the_Exchequer" title="Chancellor of the Exchequer">Chancellor of the Exchequer</a>, <a href="/wiki/Nigel_Lawson" title="Nigel Lawson">Nigel Lawson</a>, who had been planning for the country to join the <a href="/wiki/European_Exchange_Rate_Mechanism" title="European Exchange Rate Mechanism">European Exchange Rate Mechanism</a> (ERM), an EEC <a href="/wiki/Economic_stability" title="Economic stability">economic stability</a> measure, against Thatcher's wishes. Howe and Lawson continued to lobby Thatcher on the matter; however, Lawson resigned when Thatcher refused to sack her chief economic adviser Sir <a href="/wiki/Alan_Walters" title="Alan Walters">Alan Walters</a>, who opposed British membership of the ERM. Britain eventually joined the ERM on 5 October, under Lawson's replacement as chancellor <a href="/wiki/John_Major" title="John Major">John Major</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-moore_2-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-moore-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The political decision ultimately led to Thatcher's resignation and replacement by Major, who came to prominence for his role in the ERM decision.<sup id="cite_ref-tiersky_6-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-tiersky-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-moore_2-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-moore-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-startin_8-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-startin-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Thatcher became increasingly sceptical of the EEC after her resignation.<sup id="cite_ref-moore_2-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-moore-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>After the Bruges speech, there was an increasing trend towards <a href="/wiki/Euroscepticism_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Euroscepticism in the United Kingdom">Euroscepticism</a> in the Conservative Party.<sup id="cite_ref-dixon_4-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-dixon-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This created difficulties during Major's negotiations to pass the <a href="/wiki/Maastricht_Treaty" title="Maastricht Treaty">Maastricht Treaty</a>, the founding document of the <a href="/wiki/European_Union" title="European Union">European Union</a> (EU), under which increased powers were granted to the European institutions.<sup id="cite_ref-startin_8-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-startin-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> An agreement was eventually reached, and Britain passed the treaty, though it retained an <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_opt-outs_from_EU_legislation#Former_opt-outs" title="United Kingdom opt-outs from EU legislation">opt-out on the Social Chapter</a> until this was given up by <a href="/wiki/Labour_Party_(UK)" title="Labour Party (UK)">Labour</a> prime minister <a href="/wiki/Tony_Blair" title="Tony Blair">Tony Blair</a> in 1997.<sup id="cite_ref-willetts_3-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-willetts-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Britain left the EU on 31 January 2020, after <a href="/wiki/2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">a nationwide referendum</a> on the matter. The Bruges speech is sometimes described as "setting the UK on the path to <a href="/wiki/Brexit" title="Brexit">Brexit</a>" (Conservative peer <a href="/wiki/Lord_Willetts" class="mw-redirect" title="Lord Willetts">Lord Willetts</a>),<sup id="cite_ref-willetts_3-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-willetts-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> though some writers such as <a href="/wiki/David_Allen_Green" title="David Allen Green">David Allen Green</a> have stated that this was not the case and was instead "a call to battle" to reform the EEC.<sup id="cite_ref-green_7-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-green-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Eurosceptic <a href="/wiki/Bruges_Group_(United_Kingdom)" title="Bruges Group (United Kingdom)">Bruges Group</a> think tank was founded in 1990 and named after the speech.<sup id="cite_ref-green_7-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-green-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The original drafts of the Bruges speech were released by the Margaret Thatcher Archive Trust in 2018 under the <a href="/wiki/Thirty-year_rule" title="Thirty-year rule">thirty-year rule</a>. The drafts showed that the final speech had been considerably toned down. Direct references to Delors were removed, and those to the European Commission were replaced with "European community". The use of the term "Euro <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/waffle#Etymology_2" class="extiw" title="wikt:waffle">waffle</a>" was also removed.<sup id="cite_ref-dixon_4-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-dixon-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>"<a href="/wiki/No._No._No._(Margaret_Thatcher)" title="No. No. No. (Margaret Thatcher)">No. No. No.</a>"</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/196026">European Community</a> at the <i><a href="/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica" title="Encyclopædia Britannica">Encyclopædia Britannica</a></i>. <span class="reference-accessdate">Retrieved 13 December 2020<span style="font-size: 90%; color: #555"></span>.</span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-moore-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-moore_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-moore_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-moore_2-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-moore_2-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-moore_2-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-moore_2-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-moore_2-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-moore_2-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-moore_2-8"><sup><i><b>i</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-moore_2-9"><sup><i><b>j</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-moore_2-10"><sup><i><b>k</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-moore_2-11"><sup><i><b>l</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-moore_2-12"><sup><i><b>m</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMoore2019" class="citation news cs1"><a href="/wiki/Charles_Moore,_Baron_Moore_of_Etchingham" title="Charles Moore, Baron Moore of Etchingham">Moore, Charles</a> (28 September 2019). <span class="id-lock-subscription" title="Paid subscription required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/09/28/margaret-thatcher-biography-bruges-speech-deemed-declaration/">"Margaret Thatcher biography: How the Bruges speech was deemed a declaration of war that caused 'absolute horror' in Brussels"</a></span>. <i>The Telegraph</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">13 December</span> 2020</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Telegraph&rft.atitle=Margaret+Thatcher+biography%3A+How+the+Bruges+speech+was+deemed+a+declaration+of+war+that+caused+%27absolute+horror%27+in+Brussels&rft.date=2019-09-28&rft.aulast=Moore&rft.aufirst=Charles&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraph.co.uk%2Fpolitics%2F2019%2F09%2F28%2Fmargaret-thatcher-biography-bruges-speech-deemed-declaration%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABruges+speech" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-willetts-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-willetts_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-willetts_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-willetts_3-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-willetts_3-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-willetts_3-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-willetts_3-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFWilletts2018" class="citation news cs1"><a href="/wiki/David_Willetts" title="David Willetts">Willetts, David</a> (31 August 2018). <span class="id-lock-subscription" title="Paid subscription required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ft.com/content/0b0afe92-ac40-11e8-8253-48106866cd8a">"How Thatcher's Bruges speech put Britain on the road to Brexit"</a></span>. <i>Financial Times</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">13 December</span> 2020</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Financial+Times&rft.atitle=How+Thatcher%27s+Bruges+speech+put+Britain+on+the+road+to+Brexit&rft.date=2018-08-31&rft.aulast=Willetts&rft.aufirst=David&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcontent%2F0b0afe92-ac40-11e8-8253-48106866cd8a&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABruges+speech" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-dixon-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-dixon_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-dixon_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-dixon_4-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-dixon_4-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-dixon_4-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-dixon_4-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-dixon_4-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFDixon2018" class="citation news cs1">Dixon, Hayley (21 July 2018). <span class="id-lock-subscription" title="Paid subscription required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/20/margaret-thatchers-famous-bruges-speech-have-much-critical-toned/">"Margaret Thatcher's famous Bruges speech was to have been much more critical before it was toned down"</a></span>. <i>The Telegraph</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">13 December</span> 2020</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Telegraph&rft.atitle=Margaret+Thatcher%27s+famous+Bruges+speech+was+to+have+been+much+more+critical+before+it+was+toned+down&rft.date=2018-07-21&rft.aulast=Dixon&rft.aufirst=Hayley&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraph.co.uk%2Fnews%2F2018%2F07%2F20%2Fmargaret-thatchers-famous-bruges-speech-have-much-critical-toned%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABruges+speech" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-thatcher-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-8"><sup><i><b>i</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-9"><sup><i><b>j</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-10"><sup><i><b>k</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-11"><sup><i><b>l</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-12"><sup><i><b>m</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-13"><sup><i><b>n</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-14"><sup><i><b>o</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-thatcher_5-15"><sup><i><b>p</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/107332">"Speech to the College of Europe ('The Bruges Speech')"</a>. Margaret Thatcher Foundation. 20 September 1988<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">13 December</span> 2020</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Speech+to+the+College+of+Europe+%28%27The+Bruges+Speech%27%29&rft.pub=Margaret+Thatcher+Foundation&rft.date=1988-09-20&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.margaretthatcher.org%2Fdocument%2F107332&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABruges+speech" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-tiersky-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-tiersky_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-tiersky_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-tiersky_6-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFTiersky2001" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Ronald_Tiersky" title="Ronald Tiersky">Tiersky, Ronald</a> (2001). <span class="id-lock-limited" title="Free access subject to limited trial, subscription normally required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=GRFVoSlYhEwC"><i>Euro-skepticism: A Reader</i></a></span>. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 103. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7425-1054-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-7425-1054-8"><bdi>978-0-7425-1054-8</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Euro-skepticism%3A+A+Reader&rft.pages=103&rft.pub=Rowman+%26+Littlefield&rft.date=2001&rft.isbn=978-0-7425-1054-8&rft.aulast=Tiersky&rft.aufirst=Ronald&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DGRFVoSlYhEwC&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABruges+speech" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-green-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-green_7-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-green_7-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-green_7-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGreen2018" class="citation news cs1"><a href="/wiki/David_Allen_Green" title="David Allen Green">Green, David Allen</a> (25 September 2018). <span class="id-lock-subscription" title="Paid subscription required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ft.com/content/64adcb7e-bfef-11e8-84cd-9e601db069b8">"Why Thatcher's Bruges speech was not a first step towards Brexit"</a></span>. <i>Financial Times</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">13 December</span> 2020</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Financial+Times&rft.atitle=Why+Thatcher%27s+Bruges+speech+was+not+a+first+step+towards+Brexit&rft.date=2018-09-25&rft.aulast=Green&rft.aufirst=David+Allen&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcontent%2F64adcb7e-bfef-11e8-84cd-9e601db069b8&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABruges+speech" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-startin-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-startin_8-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-startin_8-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-startin_8-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFStartin2015" class="citation journal cs1">Startin, Nicholas (2015). "Have we reached a tipping point? The mainstreaming of Euroscepticism in the UK". <i>International Political Science Review</i>. <b>36</b> (3): 314. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0192512115574126">10.1177/0192512115574126</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0192-5121">0192-5121</a>. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/24573394">24573394</a>. <a href="/wiki/S2CID_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="S2CID (identifier)">S2CID</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:142792443">142792443</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=International+Political+Science+Review&rft.atitle=Have+we+reached+a+tipping+point%3F+The+mainstreaming+of+Euroscepticism+in+the+UK&rft.volume=36&rft.issue=3&rft.pages=314&rft.date=2015&rft.issn=0192-5121&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.semanticscholar.org%2FCorpusID%3A142792443%23id-name%3DS2CID&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F24573394%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1177%2F0192512115574126&rft.aulast=Startin&rft.aufirst=Nicholas&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABruges+speech" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:02-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-:02_9-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFCampbell2010" class="citation book cs1">Campbell, John (2010). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/pistolsatdawntwo0000camp/13960/t6wx5mm07"><i>Pistols at Dawn: Two Hundred Years of Political Rivalry from Pitt and Fox to Blair and Brown</i></a></span>. London: Vintage. p. 338. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84595-091-0" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-84595-091-0"><bdi>978-1-84595-091-0</bdi></a>. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/489636152">489636152</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Pistols+at+Dawn%3A+Two+Hundred+Years+of+Political+Rivalry+from+Pitt+and+Fox+to+Blair+and+Brown&rft.place=London&rft.pages=338&rft.pub=Vintage&rft.date=2010&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F489636152&rft.isbn=978-1-84595-091-0&rft.aulast=Campbell&rft.aufirst=John&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fpistolsatdawntwo0000camp%2F13960%2Ft6wx5mm07&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABruges+speech" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.brugesgroup.com/blog/celebrating-margaret-thatcher-s-bruges-speech-and-brexit">Video of the Speech, Bruges Group</a></li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list{line-height:1.5em;border-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list-with-group{text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid}.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-group,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-image,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-list{border-top:2px solid #fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title{background-color:#ccf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-title{background-color:#ddf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Margaret_Thatcher" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="3"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Margaret_Thatcher" title="Template:Margaret Thatcher"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Margaret_Thatcher" title="Template talk:Margaret Thatcher"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Margaret_Thatcher" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Margaret Thatcher"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Margaret_Thatcher" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Margaret_Thatcher" title="Margaret Thatcher">Margaret Thatcher</a></div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="3"><div> <ul><li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Prime Minister of the United Kingdom">Prime Minister of the United Kingdom</a> (1979–1990)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Leader_of_the_Conservative_Party_(UK)" title="Leader of the Conservative Party (UK)">Leader of the Conservative Party</a> (1975–1990)</span></li> <li><span class="nowrap">MP for <a href="/wiki/Finchley_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Finchley (UK Parliament constituency)">Finchley</a> (1959–1992)</span></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Member of Parliament</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Public_Bodies_(Admission_to_Meetings)_Act_1960" title="Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960">Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act (1960)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Circular_10/70" title="Circular 10/70">Circular 10/70</a> (1970)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shadow_Cabinet_of_Margaret_Thatcher" title="Shadow Cabinet of Margaret Thatcher">Shadow Cabinet</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Britain_Awake" title="Britain Awake">"Britain Awake" (1976)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1979_vote_of_no_confidence_in_the_Callaghan_ministry" title="1979 vote of no confidence in the Callaghan ministry">Vote of no confidence in the Callaghan ministry (1979)</a></li></ul> </div></td><td class="noviewer navbox-image" rowspan="9" style="width:1px;padding:0 0 0 2px"><div><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Margaret_Thatcher_(1983).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Margaret_Thatcher_%281983%29.jpg/85px-Margaret_Thatcher_%281983%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="85" height="113" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Margaret_Thatcher_%281983%29.jpg/128px-Margaret_Thatcher_%281983%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Margaret_Thatcher_%281983%29.jpg/170px-Margaret_Thatcher_%281983%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2444" data-file-height="3259" /></a></span></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Ideology</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Thatcherism" title="Thatcherism">Thatcherism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Conservatism" title="Conservatism">Conservatism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Free_market" title="Free market">Free market</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Union_democracy" title="Union democracy">Union democracy</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Premiership_of_Margaret_Thatcher" title="Premiership of Margaret Thatcher">Premiership</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_ministers_under_Margaret_Thatcher" title="List of ministers under Margaret Thatcher">Ministers</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Wets_and_dries" title="Wets and dries">wets and dries</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cold_War" title="Cold War">Cold War</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cold_War_(1979%E2%80%931985)" title="Cold War (1979–1985)">1st term</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cold_War_(1985%E2%80%931991)" title="Cold War (1985–1991)">2nd–3rd term</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;font-weight:normal"><a href="/wiki/First_Thatcher_ministry" title="First Thatcher ministry">1st ministry<br />(1979–1983)</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/June_1979_United_Kingdom_budget" title="June 1979 United Kingdom budget">Budget (1979)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1980_United_Kingdom_budget" title="1980 United Kingdom budget">Budget (1980)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_lady%27s_not_for_turning" title="The lady's not for turning">"The lady's not for turning" (1980)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1981_United_Kingdom_budget" title="1981 United Kingdom budget">Budget (1981)</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Gang_of_25" title="Gang of 25">Gang of 25</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1981_Irish_hunger_strike" title="1981 Irish hunger strike">Irish hunger strike (1981)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1982_United_Kingdom_budget" title="1982 United Kingdom budget">Budget (1982)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Falklands_War" title="Falklands War">Falklands War</a> (1982) <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Rejoice_(Margaret_Thatcher)" title="Rejoice (Margaret Thatcher)">"Rejoice"</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Diana_Gould%E2%80%93Margaret_Thatcher_exchange" title="Diana Gould–Margaret Thatcher exchange">Diana Gould exchange</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/White_flags_over_Port_Stanley" title="White flags over Port Stanley">"White flags over Port Stanley"</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1983_United_Kingdom_budget" title="1983 United Kingdom budget">Budget (1983)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;font-weight:normal"><a href="/wiki/Second_Thatcher_ministry" title="Second Thatcher ministry">2nd ministry<br />(1983–1987)</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1984_United_Kingdom_budget" title="1984 United Kingdom budget">Budget (1984)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brighton_hotel_bombing" title="Brighton hotel bombing">Brighton hotel bombing</a> (1984)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/GCHQ_trade_union_ban" title="GCHQ trade union ban">GCHQ trade union ban</a> (1984) <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Council_of_Civil_Service_Unions_v_Minister_for_the_Civil_Service" title="Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service">CCSU case</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1984%E2%80%931985_United_Kingdom_miners%27_strike" title="1984–1985 United Kingdom miners' strike">Miners' strike (1984–85)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1985_United_Kingdom_budget" title="1985 United Kingdom budget">Budget (1985)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anglo-Irish_Agreement" title="Anglo-Irish Agreement">Anglo-Irish Agreement</a> (1985)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Local_Government_Act_1985" title="Local Government Act 1985">Local Government Act (1985)</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Rate-capping_rebellion" title="Rate-capping rebellion">rate-capping rebellion</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Westland_affair" title="Westland affair">Westland affair</a> (1986)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/1986_United_Kingdom_budget" title="1986 United Kingdom budget">Budget (1986)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1987_United_Kingdom_budget" title="1987 United Kingdom budget">Budget (1987)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;font-weight:normal"><a href="/wiki/Third_Thatcher_ministry" title="Third Thatcher ministry">3rd ministry<br />(1987–1990)</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1988_United_Kingdom_budget" title="1988 United Kingdom budget">Budget (1988)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1988%E2%80%931994_British_broadcasting_voice_restrictions" title="1988–1994 British broadcasting voice restrictions">Broadcasting restrictions (1988)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sermon_on_the_Mound" title="Sermon on the Mound">"Sermon on the Mound" (1988)</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Bruges speech</a> (1988)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/1989_United_Kingdom_budget" title="1989 United Kingdom budget">Budget (1989)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Poll_tax_(Great_Britain)" title="Poll tax (Great Britain)">Community Charge (1989–90)</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Poll_tax_riots" title="Poll tax riots">Poll tax riots</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1990_United_Kingdom_budget" title="1990 United Kingdom budget">Budget (1990)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gulf_War" title="Gulf War">Gulf War</a> (1990)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/No._No._No._(Margaret_Thatcher)" title="No. No. No. (Margaret Thatcher)">"No. No. No." (1990)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1990_Prime_Minister%27s_Resignation_Honours" title="1990 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours">Resignation Honours (1990)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Electoral_history_of_Margaret_Thatcher#Conservative_Party_leadership_elections" title="Electoral history of Margaret Thatcher">Party elections</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1975_Conservative_Party_leadership_election" title="1975 Conservative Party leadership election">1975</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1989_Conservative_Party_leadership_election" title="1989 Conservative Party leadership election">1989</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1990_Conservative_Party_leadership_election" title="1990 Conservative Party leadership election">1990</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Electoral_history_of_Margaret_Thatcher#United_Kingdom_general_elections" title="Electoral history of Margaret Thatcher">General elections</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1979_United_Kingdom_general_election" title="1979 United Kingdom general election">1979</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1983_United_Kingdom_general_election" title="1983 United Kingdom general election">1983</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1987_United_Kingdom_general_election" title="1987 United Kingdom general election">1987</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Bibliography_of_Margaret_Thatcher" title="Bibliography of Margaret Thatcher">Books</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Downing_Street_Years" title="The Downing Street Years">The Downing Street Years</a></i> (1993 autobiography)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Path_to_Power_(Thatcher_book)" title="The Path to Power (Thatcher book)">The Path to Power</a></i> (1995 memoir)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Statecraft:_Strategies_for_a_Changing_World" title="Statecraft: Strategies for a Changing World">Statecraft: Strategies for a Changing World</a></i> (2003)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Family</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Denis_Thatcher" title="Denis Thatcher">Denis Thatcher</a> (husband) <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Thatcher_baronets" title="Thatcher baronets">baronetcy</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mark_Thatcher" title="Mark Thatcher">Mark Thatcher</a> (son)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Carol_Thatcher" title="Carol Thatcher">Carol Thatcher</a> (daughter)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alfred_Roberts" title="Alfred Roberts">Alfred Roberts</a> (father)</li> <li>"<a href="/wiki/We_have_become_a_grandmother" title="We have become a grandmother">We have become a grandmother</a>" (1989)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Cultural_depictions_of_Margaret_Thatcher" title="Cultural depictions of Margaret Thatcher">Cultural depictions</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Film and<br />television</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Anyone_for_Denis%3F_(video)" title="Anyone for Denis? (video)">Anyone for Denis?</a></i> (1982 TV play)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Spitting_Image" title="Spitting Image">Spitting Image</a></i> (1984–1996 & 2020 TV series)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_New_Statesman_(1987_TV_series)" title="The New Statesman (1987 TV series)">The New Statesman</a></i> (1987–1991 TV series)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Thatcher:_The_Final_Days" title="Thatcher: The Final Days">Thatcher: The Final Days</a></i> (1991 film)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Falklands_Play" title="The Falklands Play">The Falklands Play</a></i> (2002 play)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Jeffrey_Archer:_The_Truth" title="Jeffrey Archer: The Truth">Jeffrey Archer: The Truth</a></i> (2002 TV film)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Alan_Clark_Diaries" title="The Alan Clark Diaries">The Alan Clark Diaries</a></i> (2004 TV series)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Pinochet_in_Suburbia" title="Pinochet in Suburbia">Pinochet in Suburbia</a></i> (2006 docudrama)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Long_Walk_to_Finchley" title="The Long Walk to Finchley">The Long Walk to Finchley</a></i> (2008 film)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Margaret_(2009_film)" title="Margaret (2009 film)">Margaret</a></i> (2009 film)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Queen_(British_TV_serial)" title="The Queen (British TV serial)">The Queen</a></i> (2009 TV serial)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Iron_Lady_(film)" title="The Iron Lady (film)">The Iron Lady</a></i> (2011 film)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Hunt_for_Tony_Blair" title="The Hunt for Tony Blair">The Hunt for Tony Blair</a></i> (2011 episode)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/In_Search_of_La_Che" title="In Search of La Che">In Search of La Che</a></i> (2011 film)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Crown_season_4" title="The Crown season 4">The Crown</a></i> (2020 TV series)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Reagan_(2024_film)" title="Reagan (2024 film)">Reagan</a></i> (2024 film)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Plays</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Handbagged" title="Handbagged">Handbagged</a></i> (2010, 2013)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Audience_(2013_play)" title="The Audience (2013 play)">The Audience</a></i> (2013)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Statues</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Statue_of_Margaret_Thatcher_(London_Guildhall)" title="Statue of Margaret Thatcher (London Guildhall)">London Guildhall (1998)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Statue_of_Margaret_Thatcher_(Palace_of_Westminster)" title="Statue of Margaret Thatcher (Palace of Westminster)">Palace of Westminster (2007)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Statue_of_Margaret_Thatcher_(Grantham)" title="Statue of Margaret Thatcher (Grantham)">Grantham (2022)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Paintings</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Portrait_of_Margaret_Thatcher" title="Portrait of Margaret Thatcher">Richard Stone portrait</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Blatcherism" title="Blatcherism">Blatcherism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Death_and_funeral_of_Margaret_Thatcher" title="Death and funeral of Margaret Thatcher">Death and funeral</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_honours_of_Margaret_Thatcher" title="List of honours of Margaret Thatcher">Honours</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thatchergate" title="Thatchergate">Thatchergate</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="3"><div> <ul><li>← <b><a href="/wiki/James_Callaghan" title="James Callaghan">James Callaghan</a></b></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/John_Major" title="John Major">John Major</a></b> →</li></ul> <ul><li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Category"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/16px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/23px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/31px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="180" data-file-height="185" /></span></span> <a href="/wiki/Category:Margaret_Thatcher" title="Category:Margaret Thatcher">Category</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="2016_United_Kingdom_EU_membership_referendum_&amp;_Brexit" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Brexit_topics" title="Template:Brexit topics"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Brexit_topics" title="Template talk:Brexit topics"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Brexit_topics" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Brexit topics"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="2016_United_Kingdom_EU_membership_referendum_&amp;_Brexit" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">2016 United Kingdom EU membership referendum</a> & <a href="/wiki/Brexit" title="Brexit">Brexit</a></div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/2015%E2%80%932016_United_Kingdom_renegotiation_of_European_Union_membership" title="2015–2016 United Kingdom renegotiation of European Union membership">Renegotiation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">Referendum</a> <ul><li><small><a href="/wiki/Results_of_the_2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="Results of the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">results</a></small></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_negotiations" title="Brexit negotiations">Brexit negotiations</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_withdrawal_agreement" title="Brexit withdrawal agreement">Brexit withdrawal agreement</a> <ul><li><small><a href="/wiki/Northern_Ireland_protocol" class="mw-redirect" title="Northern Ireland protocol">NI protocol</a></small></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trade_negotiation_between_the_UK_and_the_EU" title="Trade negotiation between the UK and the EU">Trade negotiation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/EU%E2%80%93UK_Trade_and_Cooperation_Agreement" title="EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement">Trade and Cooperation Agreement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Windsor_Framework" title="Windsor Framework">Windsor Framework</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Timeline_of_Brexit" title="Timeline of Brexit">Timeline</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Referendum question</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">"<a href="/wiki/European_Union_Referendum_Act_2015#Referendum_question" title="European Union Referendum Act 2015">Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?</a>"</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Referendum legislation</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_Referendum_Act_2015" title="European Union Referendum Act 2015">European Union Referendum Act 2015</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_(Referendum)_Act_2016_(Gibraltar)" title="European Union (Referendum) Act 2016 (Gibraltar)">Gibraltar</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_Referendum_(Date_of_Referendum_etc.)_Regulations_2016" title="European Union Referendum (Date of Referendum etc.) Regulations 2016">European Union Referendum (Date of Referendum etc.) Regulations 2016</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_European_Union_Referendum_(Conduct)_Regulations_2016" class="mw-redirect" title="The European Union Referendum (Conduct) Regulations 2016">The European Union Referendum (Conduct) Regulations 2016</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Background</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Treaties_of_the_European_Union" title="Treaties of the European Union">Treaties</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Rome" title="Treaty of Rome">Rome</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Accession_1972" title="Treaty of Accession 1972">1972 Accession Treaty</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Single_European_Act" title="Single European Act">Single European Act</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maastricht_Treaty" title="Maastricht Treaty">Maastricht</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Amsterdam" title="Treaty of Amsterdam">Amsterdam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Nice" title="Treaty of Nice">Nice</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Treaty_establishing_a_Constitution_for_Europe" title="Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe">European Constitution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Treaty_of_Lisbon" title="Treaty of Lisbon">Lisbon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_opt-outs_from_EU_legislation" title="United Kingdom opt-outs from EU legislation">United Kingdom opt-outs from EU legislation</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Acts_of_Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom_relating_to_the_European_Communities_and_the_European_Union" title="Acts of Parliament of the United Kingdom relating to the European Communities and the European Union">Legislation</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/European_Communities_Act_1972_(UK)" title="European Communities Act 1972 (UK)">European Communities Act 1972</a> <ul><li>Amendments: <a href="/wiki/European_Communities_(Amendment)_Act_1986" title="European Communities (Amendment) Act 1986">1986</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Communities_(Amendment)_Act_1993" title="European Communities (Amendment) Act 1993">1993</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Communities_(Amendment)_Act_1998" title="European Communities (Amendment) Act 1998">1998</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Communities_(Amendment)_Act_2002" title="European Communities (Amendment) Act 2002">2002</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_(Amendment)_Act_2008" title="European Union (Amendment) Act 2008">2008</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_Act_2011" title="European Union Act 2011">2011</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Economic_Area_Act_1993" title="European Economic Area Act 1993">European Economic Area Act 1993</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Proposed bills</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_Bill_2004%E2%80%932005" title="European Union Bill 2004–2005">European Union Bill 2004–05</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Communities_Act_1972_(Repeal)_Bills" title="European Communities Act 1972 (Repeal) Bills">European Communities Act 1972 (Repeal) Bills</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_(Referendum)_Bill_2013%E2%80%9314" title="European Union (Referendum) Bill 2013–14">European Union (Referendum) Bill 2013–14</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Elections</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/2014_European_Parliament_election_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="2014 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom">2014 European Parliament election</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2015_United_Kingdom_general_election" title="2015 United Kingdom general election">2015 general election</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">By-elections</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/2014_Clacton_by-election" title="2014 Clacton by-election">2014 Clacton</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2014_Heywood_and_Middleton_by-election" title="2014 Heywood and Middleton by-election">2014 Heywood and Middleton</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2014_Rochester_and_Strood_by-election" title="2014 Rochester and Strood by-election">2014 Rochester and Strood</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Accession_of_the_United_Kingdom_to_the_European_Communities" title="Accession of the United Kingdom to the European Communities">UK accession</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1973_enlargement_of_the_European_Communities" title="1973 enlargement of the European Communities">1973 EC enlargement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_membership_of_the_European_Union" title="United Kingdom membership of the European Union">UK membership</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1975_United_Kingdom_European_Communities_membership_referendum" title="1975 United Kingdom European Communities membership referendum">1975 EC membership referendum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/UK_rebate" title="UK rebate">UK rebate</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Bruges speech</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/No._No._No._(Margaret_Thatcher)" title="No. No. No. (Margaret Thatcher)">No. No. No.</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Black_Wednesday" title="Black Wednesday">Black Wednesday</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Economic_Area" title="European Economic Area">EEA</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maastricht_Rebels" title="Maastricht Rebels">Maastricht Rebels</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_opt-outs_from_EU_legislation" title="United Kingdom opt-outs from EU legislation">UK Opt-outs</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_European_Union:_In_or_Out" title="The European Union: In or Out">The European Union: In or Out</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bloomberg_speech" title="Bloomberg speech">Bloomberg speech</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Russian_interference_in_the_2016_Brexit_referendum" title="Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum">Russian interference</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Balance_of_Competences_Review" title="Balance of Competences Review">Balance of Competences Review</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2015%E2%80%932016_United_Kingdom_renegotiation_of_European_Union_membership" title="2015–2016 United Kingdom renegotiation of European Union membership">2015–16 renegotiation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Euroscepticism_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Euroscepticism in the United Kingdom">Euroscepticism in the UK</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Campaigning_in_the_2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="Campaigning in the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">Campaign</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Issues_in_the_2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="Issues in the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">Issues</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="Opinion polling for the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">Opinion polling</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Endorsements_in_the_2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="Endorsements in the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">Endorsements</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Project_Fear" title="Project Fear">Project Fear</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Allegations_of_unlawful_campaigning_in_the_2016_EU_referendum" title="Allegations of unlawful campaigning in the 2016 EU referendum">Unlawful campaigning allegations</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Brexit:_The_Movie" title="Brexit: The Movie">Brexit: The Movie</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pro-EU_leaflet" title="Pro-EU leaflet">Pro-EU leaflet</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Campaign<br />organisations</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/List_of_campaign_organisations_supporting_Remain_in_the_2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="List of campaign organisations supporting Remain in the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">Remain</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Britain_Stronger_in_Europe" title="Britain Stronger in Europe">Britain Stronger in Europe</a> (official campaign)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Labour_In_for_Britain" title="Labour In for Britain">Labour In for Britain</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Leave</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Vote_Leave" title="Vote Leave">Vote Leave</a> (official campaign)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Leave.EU" title="Leave.EU">Leave.EU</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/BeLeave" title="BeLeave">BeLeave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Grassroots_Out" title="Grassroots Out">Grassroots Out</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Labour_Leave" title="Labour Leave">Labour Leave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Campaign_for_an_Independent_Britain" title="Campaign for an Independent Britain">Campaign for an Independent Britain</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_Freedom_Association" title="The Freedom Association">The Freedom Association</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Better_Off_Out" title="Better Off Out">Better Off Out</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Get_Britain_Out" title="Get Britain Out">Get Britain Out</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bruges_Group_(United_Kingdom)" title="Bruges Group (United Kingdom)">Bruges Group</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Aftermath_of_the_2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="Aftermath of the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">Aftermath of<br />referendum</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Political party<br />leadership elections</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>Conservative <ul><li><a href="/wiki/2016_Conservative_Party_leadership_election" title="2016 Conservative Party leadership election">2016</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2019_Conservative_Party_leadership_election" title="2019 Conservative Party leadership election">2019</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/February_2020_Scottish_Conservatives_leadership_election" title="February 2020 Scottish Conservatives leadership election">Scottish, Feb 2020</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2016_Labour_Party_leadership_election_(UK)" title="2016 Labour Party leadership election (UK)">Labour</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/July%E2%80%93September_2016_UK_Independence_Party_leadership_election" title="July–September 2016 UK Independence Party leadership election">UKIP</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Opposition_to_Brexit" title="Opposition to Brexit">Opposition to Brexit</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Proposed_referendum_on_the_Brexit_withdrawal_agreement" title="Proposed referendum on the Brexit withdrawal agreement">Proposed second referendum</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/People%27s_Vote" title="People's Vote">People's Vote</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Revoke_Article_50_and_remain_in_the_EU_petition" title="Revoke Article 50 and remain in the EU petition">Petition to revoke Article 50</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Led_By_Donkeys" title="Led By Donkeys">Led By Donkeys</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bollocks_to_Brexit" title="Bollocks to Brexit">Bollocks to Brexit</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Elections</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/2017_United_Kingdom_local_elections" title="2017 United Kingdom local elections">2017 local</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2017_United_Kingdom_general_election" title="2017 United Kingdom general election">2017 general</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2018_United_Kingdom_local_elections" title="2018 United Kingdom local elections">2018 local</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2019_United_Kingdom_local_elections" title="2019 United Kingdom local elections">2019 local</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2019_European_Parliament_election_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom">2019 European Parliament</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_Party" class="mw-redirect" title="Brexit Party">Brexit Party</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2019_United_Kingdom_general_election" title="2019 United Kingdom general election">2019 general</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">By-elections</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/2016_Witney_by-election" title="2016 Witney by-election">2016 Witney</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2016_Richmond_Park_by-election" title="2016 Richmond Park by-election">2016 Richmond Park</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2016_Sleaford_and_North_Hykeham_by-election" title="2016 Sleaford and North Hykeham by-election">2016 Sleaford and North Hykeham</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2017_Copeland_by-election" title="2017 Copeland by-election">2017 Copeland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2017_Stoke-on-Trent_Central_by-election" title="2017 Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election">2017 Stoke-on-Trent Central</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2019_Peterborough_by-election" title="2019 Peterborough by-election">2019 Peterborough</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2019_Brecon_and_Radnorshire_by-election" title="2019 Brecon and Radnorshire by-election">2019 Brecon and Radnorshire</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/International_reactions_to_the_2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum" title="International reactions to the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum">International reactions</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/March_to_Leave" class="mw-redirect" title="March to Leave">March to Leave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_Alliance" title="Brexit Alliance">Brexit Alliance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Blue_Collar_Conservativism" class="mw-redirect" title="Blue Collar Conservativism">Blue Collar Conservativism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_Party" class="mw-redirect" title="Brexit Party">Brexit Party</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Independent_Alliance_for_Reform" title="Independent Alliance for Reform">Independent Alliance for Reform</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Brexit process</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/R_(Miller)_v_Secretary_of_State_for_Exiting_the_European_Union" title="R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union"><i>Miller I</i> case</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_invocation_of_Article_50_of_the_Treaty_on_European_Union" title="United Kingdom invocation of Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union">Invocation of Article 50</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_negotiations" title="Brexit negotiations">Negotiations</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_divorce_bill" title="Brexit divorce bill">Brexit divorce bill</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_negotiations_in_2017" title="Brexit negotiations in 2017">2017</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_negotiations_in_2018" title="Brexit negotiations in 2018">2018</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_negotiations_in_2019" title="Brexit negotiations in 2019">2019</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_withdrawal_agreement" title="Brexit withdrawal agreement">Withdrawal agreement</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Parliamentary_votes_on_Brexit" title="Parliamentary votes on Brexit">Parliamentary votes</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/No-deal_Brexit" title="No-deal Brexit">No-deal Brexit</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Yellowhammer" title="Operation Yellowhammer">Operation Yellowhammer</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2019_British_prorogation_controversy" class="mw-redirect" title="2019 British prorogation controversy">Prorogation of Parliament</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/R_(Miller)_v_The_Prime_Minister_and_Cherry_v_Advocate_General_for_Scotland" title="R (Miller) v The Prime Minister and Cherry v Advocate General for Scotland"><i>Miller II / Cherry</i> case</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trade_negotiation_between_the_UK_and_the_EU" title="Trade negotiation between the UK and the EU">Trade negotiation between the UK and the EU</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Fish_for_finance" title="Fish for finance">Fish for finance</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/EU%E2%80%93UK_Trade_and_Cooperation_Agreement" title="EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement">EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Impact_of_Brexit" class="mw-redirect" title="Impact of Brexit">Impact of Brexit<br />and<br />potential effects</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">on Northern Ireland and<br />the Republic of Ireland</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/2024_Northern_Ireland_Executive_formation" title="2024 Northern Ireland Executive formation">2024 Northern Ireland Executive formation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_and_the_Irish_border" title="Brexit and the Irish border">Brexit and the Irish border</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Northern_Ireland_Protocol" title="Northern Ireland Protocol">Northern Ireland Protocol</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Northern_Ireland_Protocol_Bill" title="Northern Ireland Protocol Bill">proposed changes</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Irish_Sea_border" title="Irish Sea border">Irish Sea border</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Windsor_Framework" title="Windsor Framework">Windsor Framework</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Effect_of_Brexit_on_Gibraltar" title="Effect of Brexit on Gibraltar">on Gibraltar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Impact_of_Brexit_on_the_European_Union" title="Impact of Brexit on the European Union">on the EU</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_and_arrangements_for_science_and_technology" title="Brexit and arrangements for science and technology">Science and technology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Economic_effects_of_Brexit" title="Economic effects of Brexit">Economic effects</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Post-Brexit_United_Kingdom_relations_with_the_European_Union" title="Post-Brexit United Kingdom relations with the European Union">Post-Brexit United Kingdom relations with the European Union</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Brexit legislation</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">White papers</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_plan" title="Brexit plan">Brexit plan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Repeal_Bill_plan" class="mw-redirect" title="Repeal Bill plan">Repeal Bill plan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chequers_plan" title="Chequers plan">Chequers plan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_withdrawal_agreement_plan" title="Brexit withdrawal agreement plan">Brexit withdrawal agreement plan</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Enacted</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_(Notification_of_Withdrawal)_Act_2017" title="European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017">Notification of Withdrawal Act 2017</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_(Withdrawal)_Act_2018" title="European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018">Withdrawal Act 2018</a> (<a href="/wiki/European_Union_(Withdrawal)_Act_2019_(Gibraltar)" title="European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2019 (Gibraltar)">Gibraltar</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nuclear_Safeguards_Act_2018" title="Nuclear Safeguards Act 2018">Nuclear Safeguards Act 2018</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_(Withdrawal)_Act_2019" title="European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2019">Cooper–Letwin Act</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_(Withdrawal)_(No._2)_Act_2019" title="European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019">Benn Act</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_(Withdrawal_Agreement)_Act_2020" title="European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020">Withdrawal Agreement Act 2020</a> (<a href="/wiki/European_Union_(Withdrawal_Agreement)_Act_2020_(Gibraltar)" title="European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 (Gibraltar)">Gibraltar</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_Internal_Market_Act_2020" title="United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020"> Internal Market Act 2020</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_(Future_Relationship)_Act_2020" title="European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020">Future Relationship Act 2020</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/UK_Withdrawal_from_the_European_Union_(Continuity)_(Scotland)_Act_2020" class="mw-redirect" title="UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2020">UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2020</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Proposed</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Terms_of_Withdrawal_from_EU_(Referendum)_Bills" title="Terms of Withdrawal from EU (Referendum) Bills">Terms of Withdrawal from EU (Referendum) Bills</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/UK_Withdrawal_from_the_European_Union_(Legal_Continuity)_(Scotland)_Bill_2018" title="UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill 2018">UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill 2018</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_Withdrawal_Agreement_(Public_Vote)_Bill_2017%E2%80%9319" title="European Union Withdrawal Agreement (Public Vote) Bill 2017–19">European Union Withdrawal Agreement (Public Vote) Bill 2017–19</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Brexit_50p_coin" title="Brexit 50p coin">Brexit 50p coin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Change_Britain" title="Change Britain">Change Britain</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Change_UK" title="Change UK">Change UK</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chaos_with_Ed_Miliband" title="Chaos with Ed Miliband">Chaos with Ed Miliband</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Research_Group" title="European Research Group">European Research Group</a></li> <li>"<a href="/wiki/Enemies_of_the_People_(headline)" title="Enemies of the People (headline)">Enemies of the People</a>"</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Leave_Means_Leave" title="Leave Means Leave">Leave Means Leave</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Led_By_Donkeys" title="Led By Donkeys">Led By Donkeys</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/More_United" title="More United">More United</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Northern_Future_Forum" title="Northern Future Forum">Northern Future Forum</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_New_European" title="The New European">The New European</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open_Britain" title="Open Britain">Open Britain</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proposed_second_Scottish_independence_referendum" title="Proposed second Scottish independence referendum">Proposed second Scottish independence referendum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reform_UK" title="Reform UK">Reform UK</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rue_du_Brexit" title="Rue du Brexit">Rue du Brexit</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Glossary_of_Brexit_terms" title="Glossary of Brexit terms">Terminology (Glossary)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tufton_Street" title="Tufton Street">Tufton Street</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Ireland" title="United Ireland">United Ireland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Voting_pencil_conspiracy_theory" title="Voting pencil conspiracy theory">Voting pencil conspiracy theory</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Retained_EU_law_(UK_Law)" class="mw-redirect" title="Retained EU law (UK Law)">Retained EU law</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Brexit_in_popular_culture" title="Brexit in popular culture">Media depictions</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Remainiacs" class="mw-redirect" title="Remainiacs">Remainiacs</a> </i> (2017)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Postcards_from_the_48%25" title="Postcards from the 48%">Postcards from the 48%</a></i> (2018)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Not_Tonight_(video_game)" title="Not Tonight (video game)">Not Tonight</a></i> (2018)</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Brexit:_The_Uncivil_War" title="Brexit: The Uncivil War">Brexit: The Uncivil War</a></i> (2019)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/BorderIrish" title="BorderIrish">@BorderIrish</a> (2018–2020)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div> <ul><li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Category"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/16px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/23px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/31px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="180" data-file-height="185" /></span></span> <a href="/wiki/Category:Brexit" title="Category:Brexit">Category</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&oldid=1226058109">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&oldid=1226058109</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:1988_in_Belgium" title="Category:1988 in Belgium">1988 in Belgium</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:1988_in_British_politics" title="Category:1988 in British politics">1988 in British politics</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:1988_in_international_relations" title="Category:1988 in international relations">1988 in international relations</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:1988_speeches" title="Category:1988 speeches">1988 speeches</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Euroscepticism_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="Category:Euroscepticism in the United Kingdom">Euroscepticism in the United Kingdom</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:History_of_Bruges" title="Category:History of Bruges">History of Bruges</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:September_1988_events_in_Europe" title="Category:September 1988 events in Europe">September 1988 events in Europe</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Speeches_by_Margaret_Thatcher" title="Category:Speeches by Margaret Thatcher">Speeches by Margaret Thatcher</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica_links" title="Category:Articles with Encyclopædia Britannica links">Articles with Encyclopædia Britannica links</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:EngvarB_from_June_2022" title="Category:EngvarB from June 2022">EngvarB from June 2022</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_short_description" title="Category:Articles with short description">Articles with short description</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Short_description_matches_Wikidata" title="Category:Short description matches Wikidata">Short description matches Wikidata</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 28 May 2024, at 09:32<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the <a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Terms_of_Use" class="extiw" title="foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Terms of Use">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy" class="extiw" title="foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy">Privacy Policy</a>. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://wikimediafoundation.org/">Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.</a>, a non-profit organization.</li> </ul> <ul id="footer-places"> <li id="footer-places-privacy"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy">Privacy policy</a></li> <li id="footer-places-about"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:About">About Wikipedia</a></li> <li id="footer-places-disclaimers"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:General_disclaimer">Disclaimers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-contact"><a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us">Contact Wikipedia</a></li> <li id="footer-places-wm-codeofconduct"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Universal_Code_of_Conduct">Code of Conduct</a></li> <li id="footer-places-developers"><a href="https://developer.wikimedia.org">Developers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-statslink"><a href="https://stats.wikimedia.org/#/en.wikipedia.org">Statistics</a></li> <li id="footer-places-cookiestatement"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Cookie_statement">Cookie statement</a></li> <li id="footer-places-mobileview"><a href="//en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bruges_speech&mobileaction=toggle_view_mobile" class="noprint stopMobileRedirectToggle">Mobile view</a></li> </ul> <ul id="footer-icons" class="noprint"> <li id="footer-copyrightico"><a href="https://wikimediafoundation.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><img src="/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg" width="84" height="29" alt="Wikimedia Foundation" loading="lazy"></a></li> <li id="footer-poweredbyico"><a href="https://www.mediawiki.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><img src="/w/resources/assets/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" alt="Powered by MediaWiki" width="88" height="31" loading="lazy"></a></li> </ul> </footer> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-settings" id="p-dock-bottom"> <ul></ul> </div><script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.config.set({"wgHostname":"mw-web.codfw.main-f69cdc8f6-lz44k","wgBackendResponseTime":149,"wgPageParseReport":{"limitreport":{"cputime":"0.565","walltime":"0.734","ppvisitednodes":{"value":2376,"limit":1000000},"postexpandincludesize":{"value":138317,"limit":2097152},"templateargumentsize":{"value":4015,"limit":2097152},"expansiondepth":{"value":13,"limit":100},"expensivefunctioncount":{"value":2,"limit":500},"unstrip-depth":{"value":1,"limit":20},"unstrip-size":{"value":60926,"limit":5000000},"entityaccesscount":{"value":0,"limit":400},"timingprofile":["100.00% 576.521 1 -total"," 27.60% 159.131 9 Template:Navbox"," 22.51% 129.796 1 Template:External_media"," 21.62% 124.645 1 Template:Infobox"," 21.20% 122.196 1 Template:Margaret_Thatcher"," 17.04% 98.239 1 Template:Wt"," 16.01% 92.281 1 Template:Reflist"," 15.58% 89.797 1 Template:Cite_speech"," 9.86% 56.860 1 Template:Short_description"," 5.04% 29.030 2 Template:Pagetype"]},"scribunto":{"limitreport-timeusage":{"value":"0.334","limit":"10.000"},"limitreport-memusage":{"value":16290727,"limit":52428800}},"cachereport":{"origin":"mw-web.eqiad.main-5dc468848-vgkwn","timestamp":"20241122153507","ttl":2592000,"transientcontent":false}}});});</script> <script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Article","name":"Bruges speech","url":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bruges_speech","sameAs":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q3030165","mainEntity":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q3030165","author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Contributors to Wikimedia projects"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.wikimedia.org\/static\/images\/wmf-hor-googpub.png"}},"datePublished":"2020-12-13T06:35:39Z","dateModified":"2024-05-28T09:32:10Z","image":"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/d\/dd\/Margaret_Thatcher_%281987%29.jpg","headline":"1988 speech by Margaret Thatcher"}</script> </body> </html>