Breaking the Law (A Little Bit)? Brandon Lewis and Northern Ireland Trading

Watch Brandon Lewis answer a question about whether the government is breaking international law in its new Internal Market Bill. Lewis replies that it is, but only in a limited way and a way for which there are several precedents.

This does raise several questions about parliamentary sovereignty, the rule of law and our evolving constitution. Is parliament bound by international treaties or, as parliament is sovereign, does statute law trump international law? What is the relationship between parliamentary sovereignty and the rule of law? Traditionally it was deemed that there could be no contradiction between the rule of law and parliamentary sovereignty, because parliament was the primary source of law. But in an increasingly globalised politics, is that still true?