Giving MPs more power over the UK’s EU representatives would do far more for parliamentary sovereignty than a ‘red card’

The European Council summit scheduled for 18-19 February is expected to produce a deal on the UK’s renegotiation. Ahead of the meeting, Sara Hagemann writes on David Cameron’s attempts to negotiate further powers for national parliaments over EU decision-making. She notes that while a deal may be achieved on this point, including a possible ‘red card’ that would allow parliaments acting in tandem to veto policy proposals, the real way to increase the British Parliament’s role would be to allow for greater input by MPs and members of the House of Lords into the policy work of UK representatives in Brussels.