The concept of the British Constitution: the basic facts

Unwritten character

The British constitution is not written in Continuity of development

It has evolved over the centuries with but few sudden or dramatic changes, and a high degree of historical continuity has been maintained as the constitution has been brought up to date. Of the modern institutions of government, some are still rooted in medieval origins. But the constitution is not a museum piece. The greater part of our constitutional law has been made in this century.

Parliamentary sovereignty

Parliament as a legislative body can enact any law whatsoever on any subject whatsoever in the eyes of United Kingdom courts, according to the generally held view. Changes in rules of constitutional law can be effected by ordinary legislation.

Law and convention

Particularly in the working of the executive branch of government and its relationship with the Legislature, the constitution is regulated to a large extent by rules which do not belong to the normal legal categories. These rules are called constitutional conventions. They are rules of political conduct or binding usages, most of which are capable of being varied or of simply disappearing as political conditions and ideas change. If conventions are to be classified as rules of constitutional law, then the term 'law' must be given a very broad meaning. To use the term 'law' in more than one sense is not in itself unusual. Sometimes it is convenient to contrast constitutional convention with 'strict law'. Thus, in strict law (by virtue of the royal prerogative) the Queen can dismiss her Ministers at pleasure. By convention this legal power is exercisable only in very extraordinary circumstances. And because it is well understood that, save in exceptional circumstances, the Queen must act in accordance with ministerial advice, Parliament still adopts the form of conferring discretionary powers on Her Majesty. This dichotomy of law and convention pervades much of our constitutional law

Flexibility

The absence of a cumbersome procedure for altering rules of constitutional importance, the omnicompetence of Parliament and the pliability of many constitutional conventions tend to make the British constitution flexible and easily adaptable. (...)

Unitary nature

The United Kingdom is a unitary, not a federal, State, at the present time. If it were a federal State, Parliament would not be omnicompetent.

Limited monarchy

Succession to the throne is hereditary. The functions of the head of State are primarily ceremonial, and despite their amplitude in strict law they are now of little or no political significance in normal times.

Bicameralism

The upper House of Parliament, the House of Lords, still constituted mainly on a hereditary basis, is of minor importance: the lower House, the elected House of Commons, is the focus of political attention.

Parliamentary Executive

The political arm of the executive branch of government is recruited from and located within Parliament, and the Cabinet is collectively 'responsible' to Parliament in general and the House of Commons in particular. A Government would either have to resign or go to the country if it were to forfeit the support of a majority in the Commons.

Executive dominance in the Legislature

Because of the structure of modern British political parties, and the operation of the electoral system and certain constitutional rules, the Government in office is normally able to command parliamentary support for the implementation of almost any policy that it is in practice likely to adopt. The Government has indeed to be responsive to parliamentary opinion, as well as to the weight of opinion in the electorate at large, but one must not imagine that it is in any real sense a delegate or agent of Parliament. Parliamentary government is not governed by Parliament. The Government governs in and through Parliament. At the same time, it would be erroneous to speak in terms of 'Cabinet dictatorship'. A Government operates within a complex network of constraints, restricting its freedom of manoeuvre. (...)

Judicial independence

The Judiciary is appointed by the Executive, but it is conspicuously independent both of the Executive and of the Legislature. (...)

Constitutional and Administrative Law, S. A. de Smith

1. The final entry mentions the three headings under which the essential activities of government may be examined: the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. What do you understand to be the functions of each?

2. It is often said that the British constitution is not 'entrenched'. Is this idea expressed in the text? How?

3. What is the difference between a 'unitary' and a 'federal' State?

4. Why does the text refer to the United Kingdom and not Great Britain? What is the difference?

5. The passage refers to the 'omnicompetence of Parliament'. What other term does it use to express the same idea?

6. Some writers speak of the 'evolutionary' nature of the British constitution. Using information in the text, what do you think is meant by that?

7. What is meant by 'limited monarchy'? Limited by what?

8. The passage says: 'Changes in rules of constitutional law can be effected by ordinary legislation'. Why, can you imagine, is this such a vital feature of the British constitution?

Task 2. Draw the mind map of the text “The concept of the British Constitution: the basic facts”

Mindmapping (составление ментальных карт или карт памяти) – это удобная и эффективная техника визуализации мышления при помощи графических схем. Автором методики является психолог Тони Бьюзен. Она отражает все стороны мыслительного процесса и позволяет выделитьвсе главные аспекты проблемы, пробелы в понимании вопроса, ассоциативные связи.

Лист бумаги предпочтительно располагать горизонтально, что позволит расширять и модернизировать рисунок-конспект. В центре листа располагается образ всей проблемы/задачи/области знания. От него разноцветными линиями расходятся «ветки» - различные аспекты этого предмета. На каждой ветке располагаются по 3-4 слова – ассоциации с каждым аспектом, также связанные между собой ветками разных цветов.

Основные ветви далее разделяются на более тонкие. Все ветви подписываются ключевыми словами, заставляющими вспомнить то или иное понятие. Связи между отдельными идеями показываются стрелками.

Соблюдайте следующие рекомендации:

• Используйте печатные буквы.
• Размещайте ключевые слова над соответствующими линиями.
• Следите за тем, чтобы длина линии примерно равнялась длине соответствующего ключевого слова.
• Соединяйте линии с другими линиями и следите за тем, чтобы главные ветви карты соединялись с центральным образом.
• Делайте главные линии плавными и более жирными.
• Отграничивайте блоки важной информации с помощью линий.