EUROPE: UK has lost its sovereignty

The answer is the right of a government to govern without interference from an outside power.

Britain has managed to do this, reasonably successfully, from 1215 to 1973.

Depending on who you believe, between 15 per cent and 80 per cent of UK law is determined by the EU, so let’s say that 50 per cent of UK law originates from the EU.

The European Commission drafts all EU law, a body made up of 28 unelected commissioners, headed by the unelected president, Jean-Claude Juncker. The European Parliament votes to accept or reject laws drafted by the European Commission. This consists of 751 MEPs, of which 73 are from the UK. These 73 UK MEPs can only have limited influence in the European Parliament as a whole.

There is absolutely no doubt that the UK has lost a considerable proportion of its sovereignty to the EU. A topical example is the inability of the UK Government to determine whether, and how much, child benefit is paid to children resident in other EU states.

Richard Spotwood,

Hillside East,

Rothbury