What does 'Westminster sovereignty' imply?

'Westminster sovereignty' implies that the UK Parliament holds the ultimate legal authority over all matters in the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland. This means that Parliament can legislate on any issue and its laws are supreme, with no other governing body having the power to override them.

In the context of Northern Ireland, this principle reinforces the idea that while regional devolved governments may have powers over certain areas, such as education and health, they operate under the framework established by Westminster, which retains the authority to legislate on a wide array of issues and can intervene when it sees fit. This sovereignty is a fundamental aspect of the constitutional relationship within the UK, emphasizing the central government's supreme power in relation to the devolved administrations.

This understanding of sovereignty is distinct from the concepts of full independence, which would negate Westminster's authority, or the idea that local governments have the final say over laws, as both would undermine the overarching legal authority vested in the UK Parliament. The Prime Minister's ability to veto laws is not a direct implication of Westminster sovereignty; rather, it is a function of executive powers that operate within that sovereignty framework.