When Margaret Thatcher Said "NO" to Europe | The Bruges Speech

September 20, 1988. A speech that would echo for decades.

Margaret Thatcher stood before 280 European leaders, diplomats, and academics at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium. Brussels expected diplomatic courtesy. What they got was a declaration that would reshape the continent.

In just 8 minutes, the British Prime Minister challenged the vision of Jacques Delors and his federal European super-state. Her words were clear: "We have not successfully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain, only to see them re-imposed at a European level."

The room was divided. Some applauded. Others sat frozen. The French delegation walked out. But Thatcher's message was unmistakable: Britain would never surrender its sovereignty to Brussels.

28 years later, her words would prove prophetic. The Brexit referendum of 2016 echoed the doubts she had planted in Bruges. The seeds of Britain's departure from the EU were sown that day.

This is the story of 8 minutes that changed Europe forever.

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Thatcher vs Scargill: The Miners' Strike
The Iron Lady's Economic Miracle
How Thatcher Changed Britain Forever

📚 SOURCES:
Margaret Thatcher Foundation Archives
College of Europe Historical Records
The Times, Financial Times (September 1988)
BBC Archives - Bruges Speech Coverage

#MargaretThatcher #BrugesSpeech #Brexit #EuropeanUnion #PoliticalHistory #IronLady #UKPolitics #EuropeanHistory #ThatcherLegacy #1980s

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