BRITAIN’S UNCODIFIED CONSTITUTION

 BRITAIN’S UNCODIFIED CONSTITUTION

Britain has no codified Constitution, but technically, some aspects of the sources of Britain's Constitution is Written. However, though, the case might be, in FF. Ridley’s opinion, Britain has no Written Constitution, and figuratively, compares to a “clotheless” nation, synonymous to shame. Such an extreme position assumed by Ridley is further supported by the open advantages of the Written Constitution of other nations in comparison.

Britain, rather, gathers it’s sources of the Constitution from Conventions, Traditions, Acts of Parliament, International Treaties, Customs and Norms and  Practice, handed over from one generation to the other. Many Political Scientist argue, that the absence of a codified or single document containing the rules and regulations that governs Britain, disadvantages students who wish to pick a document and make reference to the modus operandi of the administration and governance of the State.

Revolutionary Politics contend, that declaring Parliamentary Sovereignty, takes away the democratic engagement of the government from the people, who under the Western democratic tenets are the overlords of power and the primary source of  political legitimacy. The absence of a Written Constitution, which must emanate from the people renders the democratic culture of the British government in doubt.

If Ridley's position is to be sustained, then  radical reform is eminent for the British legal and geopolitical system to incorporate a wider democratic and civic engagement – far from the Principles of Parliamentary Sovereignty currently practiced under its uncodified Constitutional type.

The uncodified Constitutional type may present its own merits, but given my personal position and understanding of Rule of Law, I would rather, the British Constitution came from the people who make up the government and legitimize its participatory political frontiers. If Parliament is representational, then it cannot be Sovereign- “Sovereignty” emanates from the State; from the people. America's Constitution under the Common Law, presents one of the best examples.