The UK Constitution

The UK Constitution
Revision…read more

What is a constitution?
McNaughton: "A social contract between the people and their
government"
What's included a constitution?
Details on the workings of a political system
Laws on how a country is governed
Rules to maintain civil liberties
The process of amending the constitution…read more

Codified and Uncodified
Codified: written in a single document, entrenched and
superior to all other laws
Uncodified: A growing collection of documents, laws and
traditions. The UK constitution has developed from
various sources…read more

Is there a uk constitution
Yes NO
· General sense of constitution · It is Uncodified : how can it be
· Tradition a powerful influenced ­ followed as a superior power
governments reluctant in infringe · Constitutional statues do not have
on independence more authority than other statutes
· Accepted forms of constitutional · Conventional laws cannot be
laws entrenched due to parliamentary
· People vote out governments that sovereigntry:- "1994 Criminal
have offended personal Justice Act overturned the
constitutional principles constitutional right to quiet"…read more

Sources of the Constitution
Statute law / acts of parliament
Common law / legal president
Prerogative Powers e.g. National Security
Unwritten Conventions e.g. collective ministerial responsibility
Books (works) of Authority e.g. ­ Bagehot
European law e.g. the Maastricht treaty and the Lisbon treaty…read more

Weaknesses of the UK Constitution
Statute is supreme over other constitutional authorities
An act of parliament can banish the RPP & Common law
Statute is controlled by parliament & parliament
controlled by governing party…read more