The Constitution of the United Kingdom

No Constitution

• The UK has no written constitution.• One of the few countries of the

world that does not have a written constitution: • it just has an "uncodified

constitution“.

• The only "British Constitution“ is a set of rules and regulations• Founding principles and essential

laws go back to charters and bills that were drawn up by the English parliament long before the creation of the United Kingdom.

Founding Documents

• the Magna Carta, or Great Charter of the Liberties of England, which the barons drew up and forced King John to sign in 1215;

• the English Bill of Rights of 1689, and the Acts of Union, of 1707, establishing the United Kingdom of England and Scotland.

Other Sources of the Constitution

• Case law; constitutional matters decided in a court of law• Constitutional experts who have

written on the subject such as Walter Bagehot and A.V Dicey.

Basic Principles of the Constitution

There are two basic principles to the British Constitution :

1. The Rule of Law 2. The Supremacy of Parliament

Constitutional Development

• Being uncodified, the Constitution of the United Kingdom is in a state of constant flux.

• Each new law, each new major decision by judges, becomes a new stone in the edifice of the British Constitution.

• Thus, the British constitution changes all the time, very slowly, often imperceptibly. Britain moves forward by evolution, not by revolution.

Constitutional ReformEvolution vs Revolution

• The modernisation of the House of Lords by introducing elected members.

• The Cameron government pledged to introduce changes in the life of the present Parliament,

• but British voters are not very concerned by this issue• Few people in the UK think that constitutional reform

is necessary,• the UK functions fairly well without a written

constitution, and without big changes to the uncodified constitution.