To address the issue of whether the United Kingdom has retained its sovereignty requires a number of points to be examined. First, in 2006, what exactly is ‘sovereignty’ within a nation?

 

 

  1. If your definition is ‘xyz’, and Europe is seen to be trespassing on these, then by your definition, our sovereignty is being undermined.
  1. However, by how much? Is one of the eight following statements trespassed on? Or is it just slightly trespassed on? If it is five, is this a lot? Is just one, the thin end of the wedge – the start of things to come?

 

Areas to examine:

 

1)     House of Commons – the functions of this? Does the EU restrain the work of Parliament?

 

2)     House of Lords – as above, does the EU restrain/trespass on the work of the Lords?

 

3)     Law Lords and our judicial system? Has the EU undermined this?

 

4)     Government policy – does the government determine its own policy or does it have one eye on the EU and EU legislation?

 

5)     Manifesto pledges – were these domestic oriented or did they have one eye on the EU?

 

6)     Impact of the European courts on the UK?

 

7)     Impact of the Euro on the UK?

 

8)     Is the UK becoming more European in its policies?