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  • Essay / Is a written Constitution the right thing for the UK? ...

    I feel cautious in the application of a written constitution in our country, I think that the current rights are stable and that a change may seem unnecessary. Current arrangements have served Britain well for centuries, simply by relying on convention. In my opinion, we should focus our energy on solving the ever-increasing problems affecting our country, rather than on the excessive complexity of the situation. By not having a written constitution, this allows us to ensure that current laws adapt more quickly and easily to changing situations. A Constitution is a set of rules that help govern the country. There are many different types of constitution, but the two best known are uncodified and codified. The British Constitution has developed over time, drawing on common law, case law, Acts of Parliament and European legislation. “There is no single document from which the authority of the principal organs of government, such as the Crown, Cabinet, Parliament and the courts, is derived. No document defines the relationships of the main organs of government with each other or with the people. Bradley, A W. and Ewing, K D. (2007, p. 4). Currently, the United Kingdom uses an uncodified constitution. Historical facts show that Britain has not been conquered since 1066 and has had a stable government for hundreds of years. The United Kingdom has a long history of uninterrupted democratic rule; this is considered the strength of the uncodified constitution. Many countries tend to adhere to a written constitution, usually these countries have faced dramatic changes in their history, such as war, France and the United States are good examples of countries with written constitutions. Some groups such as the Liberal Democrats and Charter 88 impose on our country the right to make the decision not to make change. It seems easier and quicker to introduce a new law into government than to amend a constitution. There could be a risk that laws would need to be changed frequently, meaning that if we adopted a codified constitution and amended it as necessary, there would be no difference to the current constitutional system. The current state seems to be working well, new laws are being introduced where needed and this has worked well for our country, the UK constitution has adapted to the circumstances and will continue to develop. Works Cited Williams, A., 1998. UK Government & Politics. 2nd ed. Oxford: Heinemann Educational Publishers. Elliot, C. and Quinn, F., 2008. English Legal System. 9th ed. Essex: Pearson Education LimitedBradley, A W. and Ewing, KD., 2007. Constitution and administrative law. 14th ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited