The British Constitution
The British Constitution
Professor of Government,
Cite
Abstract
In the latter part of the 19th century, Walter Bagehot wrote a classic account of the British constitution as it had developed during Queen Victoria's reign. He argued that the late Victorian constitution was not at all what people thought it was. In this book, the author argues that the same is true at the beginning of this century. Most people are aware that a series of major constitutional changes has taken place, but few recognize that their cumulative effect has been to change entirely the nature of Britain's constitutional structure. The old constitution has gone. The author insists that the new constitution is a mess, but one that we should probably try to make the best of. This book is neither a reference book nor a textbook. Like Bagehot's classic, it is written with wit and mordant humour — by someone who is a journalist and political commentator as well as a distinguished academic. Highly charged issues that remain to be settled concern the relations between Scotland and England and the future of the House of Lords. A reformed House of Lords, the author fears, could wind up comprising ‘a miscellaneous assemblage of party hacks, political careerists, clapped-out retired or defeated MPs, has-beens, never-weres and never-could-possibly-bes’. The book is the product of a lifetime's reflection on British politics and essential reading for anyone interested in how the British system has changed and how it is likely to change in future.
-
Front Matter
-
1
What Is a ‘Constitution’?
-
2
The Canonical Sextet
-
3
Britain’s Traditional Constitution
-
4
The Impetus to Change
-
5
Britain’s Near Abroad
-
6
The Judges Come Out
-
7
The Ghost of Local Government
-
8
John Bull’s Other Lands
-
9
Mandarins as Managers
-
10
Democracy Rampant
-
11
References to the People
-
12
Their Lordships
-
13
Great British Icons
-
14
Britain’s New Constitution
- Postscript
-
End Matter
Sign in
Personal account
- Sign in with email/username & password
- Get email alerts
- Save searches
- Purchase content
- Activate your purchase/trial code
- Add your ORCID iD
Purchase
Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.
Purchasing informationMonth: | Total Views: |
---|---|
October 2022 | 6 |
October 2022 | 11 |
October 2022 | 12 |
October 2022 | 25 |
October 2022 | 20 |
October 2022 | 24 |
October 2022 | 33 |
October 2022 | 631 |
October 2022 | 23 |
October 2022 | 50 |
October 2022 | 13 |
October 2022 | 3 |
October 2022 | 108 |
October 2022 | 25 |
October 2022 | 8 |
October 2022 | 231 |
October 2022 | 4 |
October 2022 | 75 |
October 2022 | 24 |
October 2022 | 132 |
October 2022 | 3 |
October 2022 | 59 |
November 2022 | 37 |
November 2022 | 40 |
November 2022 | 6 |
November 2022 | 5 |
November 2022 | 3 |
November 2022 | 5 |
November 2022 | 5 |
November 2022 | 1 |
November 2022 | 12 |
November 2022 | 5 |
November 2022 | 4 |
November 2022 | 10 |
November 2022 | 13 |
November 2022 | 4 |
November 2022 | 1 |
November 2022 | 14 |
November 2022 | 7 |
November 2022 | 12 |
November 2022 | 5 |
November 2022 | 168 |
December 2022 | 2 |
December 2022 | 16 |
December 2022 | 87 |
December 2022 | 2 |
December 2022 | 6 |
December 2022 | 2 |
December 2022 | 1 |
December 2022 | 2 |
December 2022 | 1 |
December 2022 | 2 |
December 2022 | 5 |
December 2022 | 3 |
December 2022 | 19 |
December 2022 | 2 |
December 2022 | 3 |
December 2022 | 4 |
December 2022 | 5 |
December 2022 | 9 |
January 2023 | 4 |
January 2023 | 5 |
January 2023 | 4 |
January 2023 | 3 |
January 2023 | 5 |
January 2023 | 5 |
January 2023 | 2 |
January 2023 | 9 |
January 2023 | 6 |
January 2023 | 16 |
January 2023 | 12 |
January 2023 | 8 |
January 2023 | 7 |
January 2023 | 197 |
January 2023 | 1 |
January 2023 | 3 |
January 2023 | 3 |
January 2023 | 10 |
January 2023 | 2 |
January 2023 | 8 |
January 2023 | 3 |
February 2023 | 1 |
February 2023 | 2 |
February 2023 | 2 |
February 2023 | 1 |
February 2023 | 1 |
February 2023 | 5 |
February 2023 | 36 |
February 2023 | 11 |
February 2023 | 1 |
February 2023 | 57 |
February 2023 | 14 |
February 2023 | 395 |
February 2023 | 20 |
February 2023 | 6 |
February 2023 | 5 |
March 2023 | 3 |
March 2023 | 2 |
March 2023 | 5 |
March 2023 | 1 |
March 2023 | 3 |
March 2023 | 22 |
March 2023 | 30 |
March 2023 | 14 |
March 2023 | 9 |
March 2023 | 47 |
March 2023 | 2 |
March 2023 | 7 |
March 2023 | 1 |
March 2023 | 27 |
March 2023 | 1 |
April 2023 | 4 |
April 2023 | 13 |
April 2023 | 6 |
April 2023 | 6 |
April 2023 | 12 |
April 2023 | 10 |
April 2023 | 3 |
April 2023 | 8 |
April 2023 | 8 |
April 2023 | 10 |
April 2023 | 21 |
April 2023 | 29 |
April 2023 | 14 |
April 2023 | 18 |
April 2023 | 65 |
April 2023 | 10 |
April 2023 | 9 |
April 2023 | 9 |
April 2023 | 1 |
May 2023 | 5 |
May 2023 | 1 |
May 2023 | 26 |
May 2023 | 37 |
May 2023 | 17 |
May 2023 | 5 |
May 2023 | 17 |
May 2023 | 8 |
May 2023 | 78 |
May 2023 | 1 |
May 2023 | 5 |
May 2023 | 2 |
May 2023 | 4 |
May 2023 | 4 |
May 2023 | 3 |
May 2023 | 1 |
May 2023 | 2 |
May 2023 | 16 |
June 2023 | 1 |
June 2023 | 1 |
June 2023 | 1 |
June 2023 | 7 |
June 2023 | 3 |
June 2023 | 2 |
June 2023 | 6 |
July 2023 | 1 |
July 2023 | 6 |
July 2023 | 1 |
August 2023 | 1 |
August 2023 | 4 |
August 2023 | 1 |
August 2023 | 9 |
August 2023 | 3 |
August 2023 | 1 |
August 2023 | 2 |
September 2023 | 7 |
September 2023 | 5 |
September 2023 | 4 |
September 2023 | 5 |
September 2023 | 4 |
September 2023 | 3 |
September 2023 | 1 |
September 2023 | 4 |
September 2023 | 7 |
September 2023 | 27 |
September 2023 | 5 |
September 2023 | 9 |
September 2023 | 5 |
September 2023 | 6 |
September 2023 | 5 |
September 2023 | 9 |
September 2023 | 8 |
October 2023 | 2 |
October 2023 | 5 |
October 2023 | 6 |
October 2023 | 9 |
October 2023 | 2 |
October 2023 | 3 |
October 2023 | 35 |
October 2023 | 157 |
October 2023 | 1 |
October 2023 | 2 |
October 2023 | 8 |
October 2023 | 12 |
October 2023 | 71 |
October 2023 | 5 |
October 2023 | 24 |
October 2023 | 45 |
October 2023 | 5 |
October 2023 | 7 |
October 2023 | 5 |
November 2023 | 6 |
November 2023 | 1 |
November 2023 | 5 |
November 2023 | 7 |
November 2023 | 3 |
November 2023 | 5 |
November 2023 | 11 |
November 2023 | 5 |
November 2023 | 9 |
November 2023 | 33 |
November 2023 | 5 |
November 2023 | 10 |
November 2023 | 43 |
November 2023 | 1 |
November 2023 | 5 |
November 2023 | 188 |
November 2023 | 14 |
December 2023 | 1 |
December 2023 | 42 |
December 2023 | 1 |
December 2023 | 4 |
December 2023 | 3 |
December 2023 | 3 |
December 2023 | 1 |
December 2023 | 2 |
December 2023 | 3 |
December 2023 | 1 |
December 2023 | 2 |
December 2023 | 4 |
December 2023 | 26 |
December 2023 | 5 |
December 2023 | 6 |
December 2023 | 17 |
December 2023 | 4 |
December 2023 | 10 |
December 2023 | 3 |
January 2024 | 2 |
January 2024 | 2 |
January 2024 | 1 |
January 2024 | 1 |
January 2024 | 2 |
January 2024 | 34 |
January 2024 | 13 |
January 2024 | 5 |
January 2024 | 13 |
January 2024 | 8 |
January 2024 | 5 |
January 2024 | 4 |
January 2024 | 52 |
January 2024 | 1 |
January 2024 | 2 |
February 2024 | 9 |
February 2024 | 1 |
February 2024 | 3 |
February 2024 | 4 |
February 2024 | 5 |
February 2024 | 5 |
February 2024 | 37 |
February 2024 | 12 |
February 2024 | 11 |
February 2024 | 1 |
February 2024 | 11 |
February 2024 | 4 |
February 2024 | 1 |
February 2024 | 3 |
February 2024 | 4 |
February 2024 | 5 |
February 2024 | 5 |
February 2024 | 4 |
March 2024 | 4 |
March 2024 | 2 |
March 2024 | 1 |
March 2024 | 3 |
March 2024 | 1 |
March 2024 | 3 |
March 2024 | 26 |
March 2024 | 4 |
April 2024 | 3 |
April 2024 | 42 |
April 2024 | 5 |
April 2024 | 2 |
April 2024 | 2 |
April 2024 | 2 |
April 2024 | 1 |
April 2024 | 5 |
April 2024 | 23 |
April 2024 | 10 |
April 2024 | 3 |
April 2024 | 8 |
April 2024 | 4 |
April 2024 | 5 |
May 2024 | 2 |
May 2024 | 4 |
May 2024 | 60 |
May 2024 | 5 |
May 2024 | 4 |
May 2024 | 13 |
May 2024 | 8 |
May 2024 | 3 |
May 2024 | 8 |
June 2024 | 1 |
June 2024 | 1 |
June 2024 | 1 |
June 2024 | 1 |
June 2024 | 2 |
June 2024 | 1 |
June 2024 | 2 |
June 2024 | 1 |
June 2024 | 1 |
June 2024 | 4 |
June 2024 | 4 |
June 2024 | 3 |
June 2024 | 2 |
June 2024 | 1 |
June 2024 | 2 |
June 2024 | 3 |
June 2024 | 1 |
June 2024 | 4 |
June 2024 | 1 |
June 2024 | 2 |
July 2024 | 2 |
July 2024 | 3 |
July 2024 | 4 |
July 2024 | 2 |
July 2024 | 2 |
July 2024 | 5 |
July 2024 | 12 |
July 2024 | 2 |
July 2024 | 3 |
July 2024 | 1 |
July 2024 | 2 |
July 2024 | 3 |
July 2024 | 4 |
July 2024 | 7 |
July 2024 | 2 |
July 2024 | 2 |
July 2024 | 5 |
July 2024 | 6 |
July 2024 | 2 |
August 2024 | 4 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 3 |
August 2024 | 11 |
August 2024 | 5 |
August 2024 | 3 |
August 2024 | 8 |
August 2024 | 5 |
September 2024 | 2 |
September 2024 | 2 |
September 2024 | 2 |
September 2024 | 2 |
September 2024 | 2 |
September 2024 | 2 |
September 2024 | 4 |
September 2024 | 2 |
September 2024 | 2 |
September 2024 | 131 |
September 2024 | 3 |
September 2024 | 4 |
September 2024 | 1 |
September 2024 | 5 |
September 2024 | 4 |
September 2024 | 6 |
September 2024 | 2 |
September 2024 | 2 |
September 2024 | 2 |
September 2024 | 2 |
October 2024 | 1 |
October 2024 | 1 |
October 2024 | 3 |
October 2024 | 577 |
October 2024 | 30 |
October 2024 | 1 |
October 2024 | 56 |
October 2024 | 17 |
October 2024 | 3 |
October 2024 | 2 |
October 2024 | 1 |
October 2024 | 2 |
October 2024 | 3 |
October 2024 | 3 |
October 2024 | 1 |
October 2024 | 59 |
October 2024 | 7 |
November 2024 | 4 |
November 2024 | 5 |
November 2024 | 9 |
November 2024 | 63 |
November 2024 | 43 |
November 2024 | 38 |
November 2024 | 2 |
November 2024 | 365 |
November 2024 | 3 |
November 2024 | 2 |
November 2024 | 1 |
November 2024 | 4 |
November 2024 | 26 |
November 2024 | 9 |
November 2024 | 7 |
November 2024 | 1 |
November 2024 | 2 |
November 2024 | 4 |
December 2024 | 1 |
December 2024 | 2 |
December 2024 | 1 |
December 2024 | 3 |
December 2024 | 1 |
December 2024 | 10 |
December 2024 | 2 |
December 2024 | 4 |
December 2024 | 25 |
December 2024 | 2 |
December 2024 | 6 |
December 2024 | 13 |
December 2024 | 2 |
December 2024 | 119 |
December 2024 | 9 |
December 2024 | 1 |
December 2024 | 2 |
December 2024 | 1 |
January 2025 | 1 |
January 2025 | 1 |
January 2025 | 2 |
January 2025 | 16 |
January 2025 | 4 |
January 2025 | 5 |
January 2025 | 1 |
January 2025 | 10 |
January 2025 | 54 |
January 2025 | 3 |
January 2025 | 3 |
January 2025 | 1 |
February 2025 | 7 |
February 2025 | 2 |
February 2025 | 1 |
February 2025 | 4 |
February 2025 | 2 |
February 2025 | 4 |
February 2025 | 2 |
February 2025 | 3 |
February 2025 | 11 |
February 2025 | 13 |
February 2025 | 5 |
February 2025 | 3 |
February 2025 | 4 |
February 2025 | 2 |
February 2025 | 6 |
February 2025 | 1 |
February 2025 | 2 |
February 2025 | 5 |
February 2025 | 5 |
February 2025 | 3 |
March 2025 | 1 |
March 2025 | 4 |
March 2025 | 2 |
March 2025 | 6 |
March 2025 | 6 |
March 2025 | 5 |
March 2025 | 5 |
March 2025 | 9 |
March 2025 | 6 |
March 2025 | 9 |
March 2025 | 5 |
March 2025 | 9 |
March 2025 | 4 |
March 2025 | 25 |
March 2025 | 1 |
March 2025 | 6 |
March 2025 | 1 |
March 2025 | 5 |
March 2025 | 5 |
April 2025 | 13 |
April 2025 | 12 |
April 2025 | 7 |
April 2025 | 6 |
April 2025 | 3 |
April 2025 | 42 |
April 2025 | 6 |
Get help with access
Institutional access
Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:
IP based access
Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.
Sign in through your institution
Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.
If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.
Sign in with a library card
Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.
Society Members
Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:
Sign in through society site
Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:
If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.
Sign in using a personal account
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.
Personal account
A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.
Viewing your signed in accounts
Click the account icon in the top right to:
Signed in but can't access content
Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.
Institutional account management
For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.