United Kingdom of Great Britain is a European country. Full name is United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or UK or Britain. The population of this country is approx 6,82,65,000 with 2,44,376 square kilometers area. 46% of British residents are Christian, 37% do not believe in any religion, and 6% are Muslim.
Many people in the world think that England and Britain are the same. In reality, England is a province. The country called Britain consists of four provinces: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Nationally, English is the dominant language, but there are linguistic differences at the provincial level. English is spoken in England, Scots in Scotland, Welsh in Wales, and Irish in Northern Ireland. Britain is mainly made up of the island of 'Great Britain' and the northern part of the island of 'Ireland'. Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales. The southern part of the island of Ireland is the independent sovereign state of Ireland, and the northern part is the province of 'Northern Ireland' within Britain. Ethnically, 83% are white, although the majority of citizens of these four provinces feel comfortable identifying themselves as English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, etc.
The British constitution is not written in a single document, and what is written in various laws is also not well-written. However, the constitution usually contains provisions on fundamental rights and duties of the state, the president, the prime minister, parliament, courts, the electoral commission, etc. - all of which are mentioned in these laws of Britain:
● Magna Carta (1215)
● Petition of Right (1628)
● Habeas Corpus Act (1679)
● Bill of Rights (1689)
● Act of Settlement (1701)
● Acts of Union (1707 ও 1800)
● Parliament Acts (1911 ও 1949)
● Representation of the People Acts (1918, 1928, 1969)
● Human Rights Act (1998)
● Scotland Act (1998), Wales Act (1998), Northern Ireland Act (1998)
In most countries around the world, a two-thirds majority vote, followed by a referendum, is usually required to amend the constitution. But in Britain, the above-mentioned laws can be changed in the same way that Parliament updates the common law.
If you read the British Constitution thinking that Britain has played a role in developing the idea of democracy worldwide, you will be seriously disappointed.
The British Parliament has two chambers: the House of Commons, all of whose members are elected by the people, and the House of Lords, all of whose members are unelected. The House of Lords has various types of members: life-time members, appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, 26 bishops, 92 hereditary members, etc. Since the House of Lords is unelected, its democratic legitimacy is questionable.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own provincial governments. The types, powers and structural structures of the three provincial governments are not exactly the same. England does not have a provincial government, but is under the direct control of the central government. Although in some parts, city government has been introduced under the leadership of the mayor - for example, the Greater London Authority. Not only that, but the local government system is also different in each part. That is, the structure, responsibilities, and powers of local administration in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are different. The principle of 'one nation, one law' never existed in Britain. It's a complete mess.
Admirable Articles of United Kingdom's Constitution
Magna Carta 1297
XXIX. Imprisonment, &c. contrary to Law. Administration of Justice
NO Freeman shall be taken or imprisoned, or be disseised of his Freehold, or Liberties, or free Customs, or be outlawed, or exiled, or any other wise destroyed; nor will We not pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful judgment of his Peers, or by the Law of the Land. We will sell to no man, we will not deny or defer to any man either Justice or Right.
Senior Courts Act 1981
123. Subpoena to bring in testamentary document
Where it appears that any person has in his possession, custody or power any document which is or purports to be a testamentary document, the High Court may, whether or not any legal proceedings are pending, issue a subpoena requiring him to bring in the document in such manner as the court may in the subpoena direct.
Human Rights Act 1998
SCHEDULE 1. The Articles
PART I. The Convention Rights and Freedoms
Article 2. Right to life
● Everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law. No one shall be deprived of his life intentionally save in the execution of a sentence of a court following his conviction of a crime for which this penalty is provided by law.
● Deprivation of life shall not be regarded as inflicted in contravention of this Article when it results from the use of force which is no more than absolutely necessary:
● in defence of any person from unlawful violence;
● in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained;
● in action lawfully taken for the purpose of quelling a riot or insurrection.
Article 3. Prohibition of torture
No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 4. Prohibition of slavery and forced labour
● No one shall be held in slavery or servitude.
● No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.
● For the purpose of this Article the term “forced or compulsory labour” shall not include:
● any work required to be done in the ordinary course of detention imposed according to the provisions of Article 5 of this Convention or during conditional release from such detention;
● any service of a military character or, in case of conscientious objectors in countries where they are recognised, service exacted instead of compulsory military service;
● any service exacted in case of an emergency or calamity threatening the life or well-being of the community;
● any work or service which forms part of normal civic obligations.
Article 5. Right to liberty and security
● Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be deprived of his liberty save in the following cases and in accordance with a procedure prescribed by law:
● the lawful detention of a person after conviction by a competent court;
● the lawful arrest or detention of a person for non-compliance with the lawful order of a court or in order to secure the fulfilment of any obligation prescribed by law;
● the lawful arrest or detention of a person effected for the purpose of bringing him before the competent legal authority on reasonable suspicion of having committed an offence or when it is reasonably considered necessary to prevent his committing an offence or fleeing after having done so;
● the detention of a minor by lawful order for the purpose of educational supervision or his lawful detention for the purpose of bringing him before the competent legal authority;
● the lawful detention of persons for the prevention of the spreading of infectious diseases, of persons of unsound mind, alcoholics or drug addicts or vagrants;
● the lawful arrest or detention of a person to prevent his effecting an unauthorised entry into the country or of a person against whom action is being taken with a view to deportation or extradition.
● Everyone who is arrested shall be informed promptly, in a language which he understands, of the reasons for his arrest and of any charge against him.
● Everyone arrested or detained in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1(c) of this Article shall be brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorised by law to exercise judicial power and shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable time or to release pending trial. Release may be conditioned by guarantees to appear for trial.
● Everyone who is deprived of his liberty by arrest or detention shall be entitled to take proceedings by which the lawfulness of his detention shall be decided speedily by a court and his release ordered if the detention is not lawful.
● Everyone who has been the victim of arrest or detention in contravention of the provisions of this Article shall have an enforceable right to compensation.
Article 7. No punishment without law
● No one shall be held guilty of any criminal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a criminal offence under national or international law at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the criminal offence was committed.
● This Article shall not prejudice the trial and punishment of any person for any act or omission which, at the time when it was committed, was criminal according to the general principles of law recognised by civilised nations.
Article 9. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion
● Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
● Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
Article 10. Freedom of expression
● Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This Article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises.
● The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.
Article 11. Freedom of assembly and association
● Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
● No restrictions shall be placed on the exercise of these rights other than such as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. This Article shall not prevent the imposition of lawful restrictions on the exercise of these rights by members of the armed forces, of the police or of the administration of the State.
Article 14. Prohibition of discrimination
The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.
