- Contradictions?: “Laws will be axed if legislation can be better left to member states, where there is an inadequate assessment of the impact on business, or where the measure is seen as too ‘heavy handed'” versus “Brussels has been given the power to compel British courts to fine or imprison people for breaking EU laws, even if the Government and Parliament are opposed.”
The latter’s not actually as bad as it sounds, aimed largely at cross-border breaches of (mostly) environmental regulations which would be tricky to prosecute via national courts, but even so it’s rather tricky to work out how the Commission can reconcile their claims that they’re pushing for deregulation while simultaneously gaining a significant increase in power via the European Court of Justice. Not to mention the PR insanity of both stories appearing on the same day – because we all know which one will get the most press…