The British Constitution: A Very Short Introduction

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The British constitution is regarded as unique among the constitutions of the world. What are the main characteristics of Britain’s peculiar constitutional arrangements? How has the British constitution altered in response to the changing nature of its state - from England, to Britain, to the United Kingdom? What impact has the UK’s developing relations with the European Union caused?

These are some of the questions that Martin Loughlin addresses in this Very Short Introduction. As a constitution, it is one that has grown organically in response to changes in the economic, political, and social environment, and which is not contained in a single authoritative text.

By considering the nature and authority of the current British constitution, and placing it in the context of others, Loughlin considers how the traditional idea of a constitution came to be retained, what problems have been generated as a result of adapting a traditional approach in a modern political world, looking at what the future prospects for the British constitution are.

In this new edition of the Very Short Introduction, Loughlin includes a disucssion of the impact of developments over the decade since its first publication, examining Brexit, the Scottish independence referendum of 2014, and the settlement in Northern Ireland.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Martin Loughlin, Professor of Public Law, London School of Economics & Political Science

Martin Loughlin is Professor of Public Law at the London School of Economics & Political Science. A Fellow of the British Academy, he is series editor of Oxford Constitutional Theory and his books include Against Constitutionalism (2022), Political Jurisprudence (2017), Foundations of Public Law (2010), and The Idea of Public Law (2003).