Research Papers

The UK is renowned for having the most Eurosceptic media among the EU member states, in particular with regard to its tabloid press. Newspapers such as the Murdoch owned Sun and the now defunct News of the World, as well The Daily Mail, have, noticeably since the Maastricht Treaty, been renowned for portraying the EU in overtly negative terms and as against the British national interest. This paper demonstrates that the lack of a ‘level playing field’ in terms of EU coverage amongst the British press has left the UK open to accusations that its citizens are unable to weigh up the costs and benefits of membership of the Union in a balanced way. More specifically, by drawing on a content analysis of the Richard Desmond owned Daily Express’ front pages from 2010 and 2011, the paper argues that the situation has become even more ‘lop-sided’ in recent years as a result of the newspaper’s persistent ‘Britain out of Europe’ campaign. While not specifically becoming embroiled in the age-old sociological debate about whether the media influences or follows public opinion, by drawing on opinion poll data the paper concludes that support in favour of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU is becoming increasingly polarised around the twin strands of the traditional blue-collar worker (the core readership of tabloid papers like The Sun and The Daily Star) and a middle class demographic (the core readership of middle market tabloids such as The Daily Mail and The Daily Express). It concludes that we have reached a ‘tipping point’ in terms of the UK’s coverage of the EU which could have serious consequences for the country’s future role and status within the EU.