THE constitution of a country contains basic principles and laws, which provides a framework on how a nation is governed.
For many countries, the constitution is contained in a single document, which allows for easy reference.
However, the United Kingdom does not have any such document, leading some to believe that the country has no constitution.
Is this true?
VERDICT:
False
Contrary to popular belief, the United Kingdom does have a constitution, but it is not codified and contained in a neat convenient package.
Instead, the UK constitution is a combination of written and unwritten sources, which include conventions, judicial decisions and treaties, among others.
The reason for this is rooted in the country's history and relatively peaceful political transition over time.
A constitution is normally produced after a period of political upheaval, such as when independence is granted, revolutions, wars or the collapse of a previous system of governance.
The United Kingdom went through none of these and therefore the need for a single, codified constitution never arose.
The UK constitution is based on principles such as parliamentary sovereignty, rule of law, democracy, separation of powers and judiciary independence.
Any constitutional statute can be repealed or amended by simple majority votes in Parliament, like any other legislation.
While the absence of a codified constitution makes it harder to comprehend, it also allows for flexibility and easier amendments.
Sources:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/
https://consoc.org.uk/the-
