[ti:Looking Back on Britain’s European Journey] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]As February begins, Britain is no longer a member of the European Union (EU). [00:10.32]The British withdrawal from the EU comes 3 and a half years [00:17.08]after the country's voters decided to leave the union. [00:23.28]The move, known in news reports as Brexit, was one of the biggest issues [00:30.48]in the history of the 62-year-old political and economic partnership. [00:39.04]Britain was never a full EU member. It always had its own national currency, [00:46.48]but no one actually believed it would ever leave the EU. [00:52.92]But the idea grew within Britain's Conservative Party, [00:58.44]which had a small group of people who opposed EU membership. [01:05.20]In 2016, Prime Minister David Cameron agreed to hold a nationwide referendum, [01:13.40]saying he wanted to settle the issue. [01:16.88]Most people believe he wanted kill the idea. [01:22.48]It did not happen. [01:24.44]In 2016, a majority of voters decided to leave, shocking Britain's political class. [01:33.72]It has taken several years to work out the details of the break-up, [01:39.32]and the British people are still as divided as they were on the day of the referendum. [01:47.68]The city of London is home to more than 1 million EU citizens. [01:53.28]People there voted by a large majority to stay in the union. [02:00.12]London Mayor Sadiq Khan has linked the decision to a rise in racist and anti-immigrant abuse. [02:09.56]He said Britain's capital would remain "a truly...European city." [02:16.36]"We will continue to welcome people from around the world, without concern for the color of their skin, [02:24.56]the color of their passport or the colors of their national flag," he added. [02:32.32]People in the United Kingdom (U.K.) will notice few changes immediately. [02:39.60]The U.K. and the EU will have an 11-month ‘transition' period. [02:46.16]During this time, the country will continue to follow the EU's rules [02:52.44]while it organizes new agreements on trade, security and other issues. [02:59.92]It is all likely to be difficult. [03:03.16]Many people are celebrating Brexit. [03:07.52]However, few remember just how difficult it was for Britain to join in the first place. [03:14.56]After World War II, Britain's worldwide empire was dying. [03:20.36]Its economy was failing. [03:23.04]In 1957, it looked over at the European continent, [03:28.40]where the newly created European Economic Community (EEC) brought in industry and investment. [03:39.04]In the 1960s, the British government pushed to join the EU, [03:44.48]but was stopped two times by French President Charles de Gaulle, who had veto power. [03:53.52]De Gaulle had spent much of the war in London when France was under occupation. [04:00.24]He warned the EEC members that Britain had a "deep...hostility" to Europe [04:06.88]that could bring about the end of what was then called the "common market." [04:13.92]He worried that in times of trouble, Britain would always agree with the United States over its European neighbors. [04:24.44]The French kept the British out of the EU until 1973. [04:30.32]Every British political party agreed with the decision to join what was now called the EU. [04:39.44]The British government would follow the laws and the rules of the EU's leadership on trade, security and other areas. [04:50.80]Soon, in March, British politicians will start the work of pulling their country out of those regulations [04:58.88]when they begin negotiating new agreements. [05:03.60]Already, it does not appear it will be easy. [05:08.60]British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government hopes to negotiate a deal with the EU, [05:15.80]as well as a free trade agreement with the United States. [05:20.92]That is likely to be unpopular with many Britons. [05:25.60]There are already questions and worries about American food-safety issues and drug prices. [05:34.60]Still others remain certain that Brexit holds a better future for Britain. [05:41.76]In the English port of Dover, just 32 kilometers from France, retiree Philip Barry welcomed the new reality. [05:52.36]"My expectation is that there may be a little bump or two in the road but in the end it will even out," he said. [06:02.16]"Somebody once said short-term pain, but long-term gain." [06:09.16]I'm Susan Shand. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM