History of the British Constitution

• What is the Constitution

  • Set of rules and values that lay out what a country is based on
  • This can contain democracy, voting and rights
  • Parts of the constitution are codified and some parts aren't
• Magna Carta 1215

  • Result in a threat of a civil war between rebels and the king
  • This declared the individual rights of people in England
  • "Free men" held liberties but most of the population were peasants
• Clause 39 and 40

  • These clauses are still in use
  • This allows criminals to undergo lawful judgement when being trialed and imprisoned
• Bill of rights 1689

  • Result of the glorious revolution
  • King James II was a Roman Catholic and the king should be the head of the church
  • He wanted to resinate Catholicism as the dominant religion
• Political involvement in the Bill of rights 1689

  • The Whigs and the Tories invited William of Orange and Mary to invade Britain and take the throne to bring back Protestantism
  • The monarch gave parliament more power like article 9
  • Article 9 allows member to hold parliamentary privilege so they can freely speak and criticise government without fear of arrest, cruel and usual punishment
• Act of Settlement 1701

  • Parliament objected against another catholic government
  • Electress Sophia was now queen and her son George I followed
  • Monarch picked by an act of parliament not by the divine right of kings
• History of the Parliament Acts 1911/49

  • David Lloyd George put forward a spending programme known as the peoples budget
  • This was blocked by the conservative dominated HOL which had power to Veto legislation
  • Once liberals got into power they passed it
• Parliament Act 1911/49

  • In 1911 the HOL was reformed by removing a lot of the hereditary peers
  • In 1949 the lord's can't block money bills and for other bills they can delay them up to 2 years
  • Also parliaments last 5 years now not 7 years
• Second Reform Act 1867

  • All male heads of the household could vote deemed they are a rent payer
  • Agricultural landowners can vote
  • Voting doubled from 1 million to 2 million
  • 16% of the total pop
• Prior to the Second Reform Act

  • 1 in 5 men could vote
  • 8% of the population
  • Small landowners, tenants, farmers and shopkeepers gain vote
• Redistribution of the Seats Act

  • Redistributed constituencies across the UK
  • Extended the core to agricultural landowners
  • 40% of men couldn't vote
  • 28% of the total pop
• Representation of the People Act 1918

  • Allowed women over 30 to vote who had property qualifications
  • 21 million could vote by the end of 1918
  • Women made up 39% of the vote
• Representation of the People Act 1928

  • All men and women over 21 could vote
  • 96% could vote
• Representation of the People Act 1969

  • Men and women over 18 can vote
  • 97% could vote