Peter Shore's career as a Labour politician coincided with the emergence of the European movement. As a Cabinet Minister under Wilson and Callaghan, he was involved in many major decisions about Europe. In this book, he sets out to sweep away the myth, as he sees it, that in the absence of a realistic alternative, European integration is a historical march that Britain is forced to join. In addition, he aims to restore a sense of history that he sees as having been absent from the debates under New Labour. Using examples from his own experiences, he sets out to show that at all major points of decision there was another way, one that has not been closed off. It is his conviction that Britain will only thrive if it retains this independence for the future.