madam president i abstained on the vote on an agreement between the european union and pakistan
the agreement appears to enhance the ability of nation states or member states i should say to return illegal immigrants to pakistan
on the face of it that would seem to be desirable for the united kingdom but it should only be for britain as an independent sovereign nation state to decide who can and cannot enter her borders
to vote in favour of this agreement would be to cede that right to the european union which is something i could not possibly do
britain must gain control of its immigration policy legal and illegal and not surrender it to the european union
