debates

• While rights may be better protected under a codified constitution, in reality the UK scores better than the US on protection of rights according to Freedom House
• The Human Rights Act 1998 was the first time rights were legally recognised in the UK. It is unprotected statute law and Cameron considered removing it.
• Scotland banned smacking children in 2022, as most of Europe already has.
• The Great Repeal Bill (which became the EU Withdrawal Act) transferred all EU laws to British ones to avoid that there be a 'black hole' of legislation after Brexit.
• The Protection From Sex Based Harassment Bill was introduced in 2023.
• There is no elite consensus on what a codified constitution would include or a process for making it (ie who, how)
• Codified constitutions offer power to unelected judges to make political decisions in the place of constitutional ones.
• A codified constitution could limit the powers of the state by clarifying ambiguous conventions and potentially separating the legislative and executive
• A codified constitution would better inform citizens of their rights
• A rigid constitution means that rights can't be taken away but also can't be increased
• A codified constitution could be the logical conclusion of recent reforms
• A codified constitution would be an authoritative reference point for courts
• Abu Katada's individual right to a fair trial conflicted with the UK's collective right to safety
• Camden School for Girls banned girls from wearing a niqab in 2016
• Uber drivers fought for their individual rights to be recognised as employees while Uber had the collective right to argue otherwise