Letters to the Editor – The Lisbon Treaty Facts:

Sir,

The Lisbon Treaty Facts:

The Lisbon Treaty (the European Constitution by another name), came in to force on the 1^stDecember 2009. Constitutionally, the Lisbon Treaty empowers the EU to act as a State in its own right, with full legal personality; the national constitutions of member states remain in place, But are subordinate to the Lisbon Treaty which becomes and is the de facto constitution of the European Union.47

Under Lisbon the national veto on immigration and asylum policy (as in much else) has been replaced by the Qualified Majority Voting.  The UK retains the power not to opt in to some of the planned immigration and asylum laws. However if the British Government chooses to opt in at the beginning of the legislative process it has no power to veto or opt out from the legislation later.

Future legislation;

On past experience shows that British Government’s is unlikely to resist the pressure to opt in.

James Cole

Name and address supplied.