Constitutional Law at United Kingdom
Constitutional Law in the United Kingdom is quite different from that of the United States because the UK does not have a single written constitution. Instead, the UK’s constitution is uncodified and based on a mix of:
Statute Law (laws passed by Parliament, like the Human Rights Act 1998 or Magna Carta 1215)
Common Law (laws developed by judges through court decisions)
Conventions (traditional practices, like the Prime Minister being a member of the House of Commons)
Works of Authority (important writings like A.V. Dicey’s principles on constitutional law)
European Influence (especially from when the UK was part of the EU, although Brexit changed this)
Key Features of UK Constitutional Law:
Parliamentary Sovereignty: Parliament can make or unmake any law. No Parliament can bind a future Parliament.
Rule of Law: Everyone, including the government, is subject to the law.
Separation of Powers: Though not as strict as in the U.S., powers are distributed among Parliament, Government, and Judiciary.
Human Rights: Protected mainly through the Human Rights Act 1998, incorporating the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law.
Important Developments:
Devolution: Power has been transferred from Parliament to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Judicial Independence: Strengthened by the creation of the UK Supreme Court in 2009 (previously the highest court was the House of Lords).
RELATED Blog
0 comments