ABSTRACT
The most important practical application of the debate as to whether the UK Parliament may limit its own powers or have legal limitations imposed upon it by external sources of legal authority arises from the UK’s membership of the European Union. The UK became a member of the European Community with effect from 1 January 1972 by virtue of the Treaty of Accession 1972. Treaties and Community law capable of having direct effect in the UK were given domestic legal effect by the European Communities Act 1972 (ECA) which, by s 2(1), incorporated all existing Community law into UK law.
