Sovereignty is an illusion: the UK should use its power-sharing experience to play a constructive role in the EU

The UK’s ‘Westminster model’ of sovereign governance has had its day, claim Jo Murkens and Simon Toubeau. They argue that the recent transformation of the British party system and devolution have eroded the UK’s parliamentary sovereignty. The British government should learn from these developments when dealing with the EU, where sovereignty and power are also shared between the political union and its constituent parts. This is especially relevant to the Brexit discussions, since beyond the immediate horizon, the UK shares the long-term challenges of its European partners, conclude the authors.