How have the British ‘improved’ their constitution over the last 100 years. I have a look but conclude with how the Government is riding roughshod over what puny safeguards exist. I look at parliamentary sovereignty, suffrage, the parliament acts, the impact of the EU on the constitution, human rights act, the House of Lords and supreme court, and finally the Prime Minister. I conclude with a sad cry to do better.
Parliamentary Sovereignty
One, if not the central, plank of the British Constitution is that of Parliamentary Sovereignty. This means that Parliament can change its mind and cannot bind itself or its successors. It also means that its decisions i.e. statute law cannot be challenged in the Courts, although Minister’s decisions can be so challenged. i.e. Judges not Ministers have the last word on what the Law says.
Universal Suffrage
The UK’s route to universal & equal suffrage has been slow. In 1918, the UK abolished the property qualification for men over 21 and allowed some woman to vote, based on a property qualification. It interests me to learn that Parliament considered proportional representation which lost by only 7 votes. In 1928 all women over 21 were given the vote. This status quo was amended in the 1948 Act which abolished the University…
