sources of the British Constitution

• Works of authority: written by experts describing how a political system is run. A number of established legal and political texts have been accepted as works of authority in our constitution

  • e.g. Walter Bagenot's 'The English Constitution' 1867
• Conventions: an established norm of political behaviour rooted in past experience rather than law. Unwritten rules considered binding on all members of the political community - they have a moral force
• Statute Law: laws derived from acts of parliament which could have a large impact on the constitution and may limit the government's power or grant people certain rights. Most laws are statute laws in the UK
• Common Law: laws made by judges where the law does not cover the issue or is unclear. They derive in court cases and most have been replaced by statute laws.
• Treaties: formal agreements with other countries, usually ratified by parliament. International agreements between countries which have a constitutional significance as they may impact on the powers and rights of government/citizens. Treaties don't have to be approved by parliament, they can be signed only by the PM
• EU Law: 1st January 1973 - 31st January 2020 Britain was a member of the EU. Legislation emanating from the EU and judgments of the ECJ were a part of UK Constitution. Any EU law automatically overrules UK law