Written Constitution

[Wharton]

After independence, Scotland will have a written constitution. This will leave the remainder of the UK as the only country? without one. Does that make you feel uneasy?

[sherrardk]

Not really, we've managed this long without one.

[Wharton]

Everybody's out of step except Westminster :-)

[Wharton]

E for effort anyway sherrardk :-)

[sherrardk]

I'm not really a political sort, am supposed to be able to teach this stuff but never did and I rarely use my brain these days. Maybe have another go tomorrow when some of the 'news' people are around.

[Wharton]

They may take away your teaching certificate but they'll never take away your 'Best Answer' :-)

[craft1948]

Well you could do Wharton.............

[royfromaus]

As sherrardk as said we have managed thus far with the "unwritten" constitution.

[craft1948]

Does having a written constitution make you feel safer?

[Wharton]

Sorry about this sherrardk (I can always change it) :-)

[craft1948]

pmsl...........

[royfromaus]

Constitutions can sometimes be complicated and indecipherable. I hope for the sake of the average Scot that it is written in plain... English.

[jno]

I think so, craft. Americans always know there are things government cannot do to restrict their liberties; they have a constitution and a bill of rights telling them so. Politicians here are freer to do what they like. I'm not saying the end result is much different, but Americans do seem more confident of their civic freedoms, and readier to defend them.

It's not true that all countries have written constitutions, nor that all countries who have one respect it.

http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/written-constitution

[Wharton]

royfromaus - Unwritten constitutions must be very difficult to read, regardless of the language :-)

jno - Interesting link, thankyou

craft1948 - I've changed 'Best Answer' again :-)

[ABerrant]

Uncodified Constitutions have not seen other countries such as Canada and New Zealand crumble into dust.

Should citizens of those countries and the UK (or what may be left of it) feel more uneasy than the citizens of Iraq, Syria, China, North Korea, etc., etc. with their Constitutions?

[Wharton]

Good point ABerrant - It's just that I somehow feel safer with a written constitution (open to amendments).

[Wharton]

I'll try and put this another way. Do you think that the UK would be better served with a written constitution?

[EDDIE51]

'After independence' jumping the gun a bit aren't you? All the indications are that the vote will say 'No' to independence.

[venator]

The governance (awful word!) of England prior to the EU has always been based on Acts of Parliament and Case Law as established in our courts.

This gave flexibility. We trusted our MPs and judges to make fair decisions, and by and large, they have done this. Where there were errors, we could repeal an Act or make fresh case law.

The Continental model typified by the Code Napoleon, which the revolutionary Americans followed, is based on trusting nobody, and writing down procedures to meet all possible occasions. The lorry loads of paperwork from the EU is based on this approach. Just read the Daily Mail to see the crazier rules they foist on us.

It's the 500th anniversary of Magna Carta next year. Let's do what the barons did then, and force King Europe to give us back our power to rule ourselves.

I feel better now....

[Old_Geezer]

I'm unsure how many centuries into the future you are considering, but I won't be around then.

A written constitution has both pros and cons. For sure it's nice to read up and be able to refer to those rights one has, but on the other hand it's going to be a right faff trying to get governments to bring it up to date as times & opinions change. Not having one is more flexible.

[royfromaus]

Venator, you seem to have lost a few hundred years.