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Wales Book Launch: The Forgotten Tribe, British MEPs 1979-2020

6 October 2022

European Union, United Kingdom and Welsh flags
European Union, United Kingdom and Welsh flags

A panel of experienced elected politicians will reflect on the role of the UK’s Members of the European Parliament at a book launch for a new volume on British MEPs.

The Irish Association for Contemporary European Studies (IACES) and Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre will together host the Wales Book Launch for ‘The Forgotten Tribe: British MEPs, 1979-2020’, on November 11th at Cardiff University.

The stories in the book aim to record, from different perspectives and political standpoints, the part played by the 351 women and men who represented the UK and its constituent parts in the European Parliament for over forty years, at a time of seismic change both on the European continent and in the endless ebbs and flows of the UK’s relations with our European neighbours.

The Welsh dimension will also be explored, with MEPs having provided a direct democratic link between the nation and the EU during the decades before and during devolution, an international aspect which was instrumental to Wales’ constitutional journey.

The panel discussing the book, chaired by Cardiff University’s Dr Rachel Minto, will feature Baroness Dianne Hayter, Gareth Williams (author of the chapter on the Wales MEPs), Dr Giada Lagana (author of the chapter on Northern Ireland MEPs), and the former Welsh MEPs Jackie Jones and Dr Kay Swinburne.

There will be a warm welcome to students, researchers and members of the public, and refreshments provided.

Registration is available at this link.

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