📓 Chapter 5: The UK Government, the Law and Your Role
Does the UK have a written constitution?
Correct answer: No, it is made up of laws, common law and conventions
A Yes, a single document
✓ No, it is made up of laws, common law and conventions
C Yes, the Magna Carta
D Yes, the Bill of Rights
💡 Explanation
The UK does not have a single written constitution.
Key facts to remember
- UK has no single written constitution
- Made up of statute law, common law, and conventions
- Key documents: Magna Carta 1215, Bill of Rights 1689, Human Rights Act 1998
- Magna Carta 1215 — king subject to law
- Bill of Rights 1689 — confirmed rights of Parliament, limited monarch
- Foundation of rule of law
Why this is the answer
From the official Life in the UK study material — 5.1.1 What is the constitution?:
The UK does not have a single written constitution like many other countries. Instead, the constitution is made up of laws passed by Parliament (statute law), common law (developed by judges through court cases), and conventions (long-standing practices). Important constitutional documents include the Magna Carta (1215), the Bill of Rights (1689), and the Human Rights Act (1998).
The Magna Carta, signed in 1215, established the principle that even the king was subject to the law. The Bill of Rights of 1689 confirmed the rights of Parliament and limited the powers of the monarch. These documents form the foundation of the UK's constitutional arrangements and the rule of law.
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