Constitution

[Francis Asis]

Onthe news these last few days there's been much talk of "constitutional responsiblities". However, I was under the impression that Great Britain hasn't got a constitution.
Can anyone explain.
Ta

[scotman]

As far as I am aware there is no written constitution for the UK but we do have all of our statute law and the interpretations created by courts via 'case law' and also we now have the effects of being in the EU and the UN and ratifying things like the convention on Human Rights which is so beloved of some who post on AB.
Example - there is no statutory constitutional 'right to life' as is the case in the US of A but we do have a law that makes murder illegal.
That is a very simplistic explanation, the reality is more complex.

[Seafarer1966]

True. Britain is one of the few democracies in the world with no written constitution. That's how the Govt. can make up laws as they please.

A written constitution can be good and bad. In America they will never control gun crime because their written constitution provides 'the right to bear arms'. The fact that the context for this at the time the constitution was drafted in 1787 was protecting ones homestead from marauding red indians etc. falls on deaf ears with the hugely influential and powerful American gun supporters i.e. the National Rifle Association.

Every time the US Govt. try and reduce gun ownership rights the NRA and other powerful lobbyists beat it with the written constitution.

[Francis Asis]

Thanks for your answers. I did actually occur to me after I asked this if maybe they are referring to "constituencies" and "constituents" when talking about constitutional responsiblities. Is that possible?