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European Union (Amendment) Bill

Although the hour is late, I wish to say to the noble Lord that it would not be possible for 27 democracies to resolve upon a common course in respect of the treaty or of the policies that unfold week by week, day by day, unless they were able to exercise those decisions as sovereign democratic states. The collective or pooled sovereignty is what they have resolved upon to try to deal with issues that are beyond the will—the determination—of individual states, no matter how big or how strong or how small or how poor. That is the reality that they confront and how they choose to exercise their sovereignty.