LAST Wednesday night, MPs voted, by 313 votes to 26, against an amendment that would have required the Government to get the approval of a referendum before it could waive the UK’s right to opt out of more than 90 EU crime and policing laws in 2014.

Amendments that would have required the Government to seek Parliamentary approval before opting in to new justice, policing and immigration laws were not pushed to a vote.

As a result, under the Bill, ministers will continue to have full discretion, without needing to seek a vote in Parliament, to decide to opt in to new EU justice and home affairs laws.

Documents released last Friday revealed that out of the 13 times the new coalition Government has had to decide whether to opt in or not to such laws, ministers have opted in eight times.

So much for democracy. David Cameron and Nick Clegg will now be able to push us further into the EU and lessen further the control we British have over our own laws, enforcement agencies and immigration, without any control from the public or Parliament.

Dave Brothers, UK Independence Party, Durham.