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Difficulty: EasyThe Unwritten Nature of the Constitution

In the United Kingdom, the constitution is often described as 'unwritten'. Which of the following correctly identifies the different sources that make up the British constitution?

  1. Acts of Parliament, common law, and constitutional conventionsAnswer
  2. B
    A single, formal document that contains every rule of government
  3. C
    The personal decisions made by the Monarch without Parliament
  4. D
    Spoken traditions that are never written down in any legal form

Answer

The British constitution consists of Acts of Parliament, common law, and constitutional conventions.
The correct answer is that the constitution is made up of several sources: Acts of Parliament (Statute Law), common law (court precedents), and constitutional conventions (traditions and practices). This structure is what makes the UK constitution 'unwritten' or uncodified.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Understand the meaning of an 'unwritten' constitution.
The UK constitution is uncodified, meaning there is no single document like a 'Constitution of the UK'.
This sets the foundation for identifying where the rules come from.
2
Identify the specific sources of the UK's governing rules.
The rules come from Statute Law (laws passed by Parliament), Common Law (judgments made by courts), and Conventions (long-standing traditions).
Mastery of this concept requires knowing these three distinct origins.

Key Concept

The UK's uncodified constitution is gathered from multiple sources rather than a single document.
Estimated Time:45s
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The Unwritten Nature of the Constitution

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