Claim: Brussels “bureaucrats” control most UK law (pre-Brexit claims)
Rupert Lowe echoed the assertion that most UK laws were made by unelected EU officials. Estimates of how much UK law originates from the European Union vary widely; therefore the claim cannot be cleanly verified.
Summary of the Claim
Lowe claimed that the UK’s legal system was largely controlled by “Brussels bureaucrats” – implying that a majority of UK legislation was either created or determined by EU institutions rather than by the UK Parliament. The statement suggests a very high proportion of UK law was subject to EU lawmaking.
Where the Claim Was Made
These remarks appeared in the pre-Brexit period, in speeches and media appearances by Rupert Lowe, within the broader narrative of UK sovereignty and EU influence debates. The rhetoric emphasises that UK law-making was subordinate to EU bodies.
Verdict: ⚠️ Misleading
While it is true that EU law has influenced significant parts of UK legislation, the claim that “most UK law” was controlled by Brussels bureaucrats is an over-statement. There is no credible figure showing that a majority of UK laws were directly made or mandated by EU institutions. Independent analysis shows estimates ranging from around 9 % to 50 % (depending on definitions), and the UK government itself stated that no accurate figure could be calculated. Because of the ambiguity and range of estimates, the claim is misleading.
Evidence and Analysis
1. Official research shows wide variation
An early research paper from the House of Commons Library, How much legislation comes from Europe?, found that between 1997 and 2009:
- Approximately 6.8 % of UK primary legislation (Acts) implemented EU obligations.
- Approximately 14.1 % of Statutory Instruments (secondary legislation) had EU-based origins.
- The government estimated that around 50 % of UK legislation with significant economic impact originated in EU legislation.
The paper emphasises that “there is no totally accurate, rational or useful way of calculating the percentage of national laws based on or influenced by the EU.”
2. Full Fact’s independent assessment
The fact-checking organisation Full Fact provided estimates showing that about 13 % of UK Acts and Statutory Instruments between 1993-2014 had a reference to EU law, and up to 62 % when EU regulations are included as a separate category.
Full Fact notes that “simply counting up the variety of ‘EU-influenced’ UK laws … does not provide a conclusive picture.”
3. Directly applicable EU law context
Another research briefing from the House of Commons Library explains that around 5,000 EU regulations were directly applicable in the UK as of 2017.
However, the existence of these regulations does not mean they constituted the majority of all UK law.
4. What the claim exaggerates
The statement that “most UK law” is made by Brussels suggests more than 50 %. The government and research papers explicitly rejected such a figure as reliable. For example, in 2009 the government responded that the figure of 75 % (sometimes claimed by political opponents) was not believed to be accurate.
Because of definitional issues (what counts as “UK law”, what qualifies as “made by Brussels”), the range of estimates is broad and the claim of “most” is unsupported.
5. Influence vs control
It is important to distinguish between (a) influence of EU law and (b) direct control or law-making by EU institutions. The evidence shows EU law influenced many areas (trade, agriculture, environment, employment) but did not wholly control or replace UK law-making across all sectors.
The Thomson Reuters summary notes that key UK law areas influenced by the EU include trade, agriculture, financial services and the environment.
6. Complexity of measurement
The House of Commons Library paper emphasises that measuring how much UK law comes from Europe is difficult, because:
- EU legislation may be transposed via administrative means, not just statutes
- UK law may implement EU obligations in part or be amended for other reasons
- There is no central register of UK laws derived from EU law
Thus broad statements about a majority share are unreliable.
Conclusion
The claim that Brussels bureaucrats control most UK law is misleading. While EU law certainly influenced significant parts of UK legislation and regulatory frameworks, there is no credible evidence that a majority of UK laws were controlled by EU institutions. The estimates available vary considerably (from roughly 9 % to 50 % depending on category and definition), and official commentary warns against attempts to define an accurate overall figure.
Because the claim simplifies and exaggerates, it is rated ⚠️ Misleading.
Sources
- House of Commons Library, How much legislation comes from Europe? (13 Oct 2010)
- UK Parliament – How much legislation comes from Europe? summary page
- Full Fact – UK law: What proportion is influenced by the EU?
- House of Commons Library – Legislating for Brexit: directly applicable EU law (12 Jan 2017)
- Thomson Reuters – “EU laws introduced in the UK over last 25 years …” press release (27 Mar 2017)