The Common Law Constitution

Description

For the 2013 Hamlyn Lectures, Sir John Laws explored the constitutional balance between law and government in the United Kingdom. He argues that the unifying principle of the constitution is the common law and that its distinctive method has endowed the British State with profoundly beneficial effects, before examining two contemporary threats to the constitutional balance: extremism and the effect of Europe-made laws on the domestic English system.

Sir John Laws has served in the Court of Appeal and Privy Council since 1999. He has been responsible for a large number of important cases, including Thoburn v. Sunderland City Council which confronted the twin powers of Westminster and Brussels. Sir John is also a constitutional jurist of note, having written several extra-judicial contributions that underline the importance of the rule of law and the courts in a democracy so that sovereignty is founded in the constitution, not just parliament.