Jim Allister QC has responded to the Government's abandonment of its veto over immigration by calling it a “surrender”.

Speaking from Strasbourg, Jim Allister said, "Today the UK Government has seen fit to surrender further national power to the E.U., this time over the critical area of asylum, immigration and border control.   Today in Luxembourg the British Government meekly gave up the British veto and embraced Qualified Majority Voting on what was once a "red line" subject.

By doing so, they have handed the keys to the UK over to Brussels and expedited the imposition on the UK of unwanted EU policies on immigration.

The "opt out" is no substitute for the veto, for it is a mere staging post to full subservience to Brussels diktat on who can enter the UK and when.

Just as the veto has been abandoned on immigration today, so too will it ultimately go on tax, foreign policy, defence and social security, for the inevitable outcome of ongoing European Integration is the effective extinguishment of all meaningful national identity and power".