Salient Features Of British Constitution
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Unwritten
- Flexiable Constitution
- Evolutionary Growth
- Unitary
- Bicarmeralism
- Rule of Law
- Supermacy of Constitution
- Independence of Judiciary
- Collective Responsibility
- Fundamental Rights
- Conservativeness
- Limited Separation of Power
- Two Party System
- Contrast Between Theory and Practice
- Conclusion
Introduction
The British constitution system is the oldest democratic system in the modern world. The British were the first to discover how to manage a large state on democratic principles. Great Britain is the mother of democracy. There are so many qualities of the British constitution; it is called the Salient Feature of UK Constitution. These qualities are as follows:
Unwritten
The most important feature of the British constitution is unwritten. It is said that the UK constitution is unwritten because it is not available in a single book. Its principles and problems are discussed in other books, such as the Parliament Act of 1911 and the Act of Settlement. The origin of the constitution is unwritten, and these problems are discussed in other books, consisting of other traditions.
Flexiable Constitution
The British constitution is flexible in its nature because, with a simple majority, this constitution can be amended, replaced, and rejected. So, its amendment is very easy as we compare it with other non-flexible constitutions.
Evolutionary Growth
The British constitution has evolutionary growth because it developed over time and through the passage of time, this constitution grew.
Unitary
This is also a silent feature of the UK constitution that a single Government runs the functions of the UK. There is no part in this regard; a single Government maintains all systems, and this government is responsible for the enforcement of law.
Bicarmeralism
The parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Commons is most popular because its representatives are elected from citizens, while the House of Lords is hereditary. They are not elected; the Queen selects them.
Rule of Law
The UK constitution provides the rule of law. All persons are equal in the eyes of the law. If any person violates the law, he should face trial in the court, and no person is given imprisonment until his offense is proved in the court.
Supermacy of Constitution
There is the supremacy of the constitution in the UK. Every person's problem is settled according to the constitution.
Independence of Judiciary
In the UK, there is an independent judiciary. Judges are bound to obey and respect the constitution. They independently make decisions under the court. They receive a handsome salary, and nobody is above the caused separation of power.
Collective Responsibility
Ministers must stand together, and they cannot oppose the Government policy. Every minister is also individually responsible to the House of Commons and the Crown.
Fundamental Rights
Fundamental rights of the citizens have not been incorporated in the form of a list in the English constitution. Constitution law is not a creator but a product of fundamental rights, which have been recognized from time to time by the courts.
Conservativeness
The British constitution is a symbol of conservativeness. The trend of the people of the UK is absolutely in favor of old institutions, and this concept is an existence of conservatism.
Limited Separation of Power
In British, there is limited separation of power. There is a concentration of political power in the parliament. Nevertheless, many safeguards have been provided, especially under the Act of Settlement of 1701, to secure the independence of the judiciary from under the influence of the other two branches of the Government.
Two Party System
Two-party systems are very important in any democratic system. It is against dictatorship. The party selected by the majority gets elected. The two parties in the British political system are:
- a) Conservation Party
- b) Labour Party
Contrast Between Theory and Practice
There is a considerable gap between theory and practice in Britain. For example, according to convention, the majority party in the newly elected parliament forms the cabinet, while all the ministers are appointed by the Prime Minister.
Conclusion
To conclude, I can say that the UK constitution is neither absolutely unwritten nor absolutely written. It is a combination of both and has made a circuit for the globe and has become the common possession of civilized man.