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Difficulty: MediumThe Unwritten Nature of the Constitution

While many nations have a single, formal document that contains all their constitutional rules, the United Kingdom's constitution is described as 'unwritten'. Which of the following statements correctly describes how the British constitution is formed?

  1. It is an uncodified system where the rules are found in multiple sources, such as Statute Law, common law, and constitutional conventions.Answer
  2. B
    It is a single, codified document that was signed into law and remains stored in the Houses of Parliament.
  3. C
    It consists entirely of ancient oral traditions that have never been recorded in any written format.
  4. D
    It is a set of rules that are exclusively determined by the Monarch and cannot be changed by Acts of Parliament.

Answer

The UK constitution is uncodified, meaning it is drawn from various sources including Statute Law, common law, and constitutional conventions.
The UK constitution is described as 'unwritten' because it is uncodified. This means it is not contained in a single book or document. Instead, it is made up of several different sources: Statute Law (laws passed by Parliament), common law (laws developed by judges through history), and constitutional conventions (traditional practices that are followed by the government).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the meaning of an 'unwritten' constitution in the UK context.
The term 'unwritten' refers to the fact that there is no single, codified document.
This establishes the fundamental nature of the UK's governing principles.
2
Recall the various sources that make up the British constitution.
The sources include Statute Law (Acts of Parliament), common law (court judgments), and conventions (traditions).
These diverse sources combine to form the framework of the government.
3
Select the option that correctly identifies these multiple sources and the uncodified structure.
The statement describing an uncodified system with multiple sources is correct.
This matches the definition provided in the official handbook.

Key Concept

The UK constitution is 'uncodified', meaning its rules are spread across multiple written and unwritten sources.

Practice More

Review the specific differences between Statute Law and common law to understand the written versus traditional elements of the constitution.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

The Unwritten Nature of the Constitution

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