Uncodified Constitution

• • The UK has an uncodified constitution, meaning it is not written in a single document. Instead, it has evolved over time from multiple sources, reflecting laws and traditions.
• Main sources of the UK Constitution:

  1. Legislation – Laws passed by Parliament, e.g., statute laws like devolution.
  2. Conventions – Traditions and practices in government, like the Ministerial Code.
  3. Common Law or Case Law – Laws developed by judges through court decisions.
  4. European Law – EU laws that influence UK laws.
• Codified Constitution-

  • A codified constitution is a single written document that outlines political processes.
  • Key Principles:

  1. Authoritative – Defines political institutions and how they function.
  2. Entrenched – Difficult to amend.
  3. Judiciable – Judges interpret the laws based on the constitution.
• Advantages and Disadvantages of an Uncodified Constitution

  • Advantages:
  • Flexibility for governments to adapt laws.
  • Allows for constitutional changes, e.g., devolution.
  • Enables urgent legislation to address societal changes.
• Disadvantages:

  • Citizens may not understand the constitution.
  • Risk of controversial laws being passed.
  • Rights of citizens could be undermined by frequent legal changes.
• Examples of Change-

  • Devolution: Countries like Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland now manage some laws independently.
  • EU Membership: EU laws were incorporated into UK law, though this has changed post-Brexit.