From opponents to enemies? How the British press framed the EU–UK relationship in Brexit news

In contemporary democracies, the media plays a crucial role. How the press addresses issues concerning the European Union and its relationships with member states profoundly influences political discourse and public opinion. As an ‘awkward partner’, the United Kingdom has consistently had a complex relationship with the EU, predominantly regarding questions of identity and sovereignty. Within this political context, British newspapers are widely regarded as highly sensitive to EU-UK conflict, employing media rhetoric that underscores a form of destructive dissent associated with threats to sovereignty and identity in the face of a German-dominated Europe. Furthermore, the 2016 Brexit referendum notably exacerbated the EU and the UK divide. This article investigates the prominence of the EU-UK relationship and its portrayal in British media coverage of Brexit. To achieve this, the study analyses news articles published by two British broadsheet newspapers and two tabloids between 1 February 2020 and 31 December 2020.