is it true that the UK has an unwritten constitution?

Question

im studying politics and this is what i found int he book. pls help :S

Answer 1

It is true that Britain has an unwritten constitution, in that there is no one document spelling out the powers and responsibilities of government and the people. Magna Carta is no longer in force - it was disallowed by the pope not long after it was signed, I think, but was important as it was the first attempt to limit the powers of the king.

Britain's 'constitution' is made up of precedent and the hundreds of laws which have been passed, such as the 1689-90 Act of Settlement limiting the powers of the king, 1918 Representation of the People Act giving women the vote, or the more recent Human Rights Act enshrining EU human rights law in domestic law. There is a group called Charter 88 which wants a written constitution, but trying to write one now for such an old country would be very difficult.

Answer 2

I believe their "written" constitution is called the Magna Carta.

What you're referring to would be called "precedent", also called "common law". Some things that have been established in public practice have the weight of law if the law is not in contradiction.

To say that they have an unwritten "constitution" sounds like conspiracy theory. I'd put the book down and find a good one, something more credible.

Answer 3

Well believe it or not the answer is yes and no. What I mean is part of it is actually written and part is just 'given'. We also have parts of this in the USA with separation of church and state, as well as, what is called freedom of passage. IE, freedom of passage can not be found anywhere in the constitution but it is an 'unwritten' right. As far as the UK, you guys seem to rely more than others on those unwritten rights = instability.