sovereignty

   Complete or supreme power. The idea is that a country or institution is sovereign if it is free to act as it wishes, independently of the way other bodies or countries choose to behave. National sovereignty implies that British governments can in theory determine British policy, acting freely and unilaterally. In reality, this freedom has inevitably been eroded in recent decades. Membership of NATO and the European Union (EU), and the ratification of the European Convention on Human Rights, all impair freedom of manoeuvre. In the modern world, governments seek to preserve real influence and – as with the relationship with the EU – might conclude that Britain has more influence in the world as a member than we would if we were outside and retained our national sovereignty. National sovereignty is today only a theoretical or nominal independence. Membership of the EU has had a significant effect not only on national sovereignty, but also on parliamentary sovereignty.