Public Law Summary Lectures 1-4

1 - Public Law & The Constitution (1) 

• Legal relationship between persons (inc. private company) and public authorities (state). 
• State = Legislature, Executive, Judiciary.

• Elements of Public Law:
  • Constitutional Law
  • Administrative Law
  • Judicial Review
  • Key Rights & Freedoms 

• Ways the constitution may be classififed: 
  • Written/Unwritten
  • Republican/Monarchical
  • Federal/Unitary
  • Rigid/Flexible
  • Formal separation of powers/Informal separation of powers

• Arguments FOR codification:
  • UK's constitutional arrangements have become more formalised. 
  • Shift from a political to legal form of constitutionalism.
  • Not the product of a conscious, deliberate discussion.
  • Unclear - debate and disagreement.
  • More accessible - easier for people to understand. 
  • Allows for substantive change - e.g unelected nature of HOL/scale of exec.power. 

• Arguments AGAINST codification:
  • Historical reasons.
  • Unusual continuity.
  • Lack of public appetite.
  • Flexibility
  • Risks - not necessary nor desirable.
  • Naive - not a universal cure, smaller scale reform projects. 
  • Costly and lengthy - special, distinctive procedure, generating consensus. 

• Sources of UK's constitution: Acts of Parliament of Constitutional Importance
  • Magna Carta 1215: First assertion on monarchical powers and rights of individuals. 
  • Bill of Rights 1689: Further limitations on Crown + meet on a regular basis etc. 
  • Act of Settlement 1701: Succession to the throne. 
  • Acts of Union 1706-7: Single parliament of Great Britain + provisions to preserve. 
  • Parliament Acts 1911/1949: Ensured will of HOC prevailed. 
  • European Communities Act 1972: Incorporated EU law into our domestic law. 
  • Police & Criminal Evidence Act 1984: Extensive powers + safeguards.
  • Public Order Act 1986: Limitations on rights of citizens to hold marches & meetings. 
  • Human Rights Act 1998: Incorporates ECHR into domestic law. 
  • Acts of Devolution: Devolved system of government in parts of UK - decentralised. 
  • Constitutional Reform Act: Reforms Lord Chancellor's office + Supreme Court. 

2 - Public Law & The Constitution (2)

Legal sources of the constitution:

• Acts of Parliament
  • Strengths: democratic, broad policies, power for deleated legislation, HOL check. 
  • Weaknesses: undemocratic, government majority.

• International Law 
  • Strengths: well-established principle national law should be interpreted where poss.....
  • Weaknesses: implications for UK's constitutional arrangements. 

• Case Law:
  • Residual Freedom: unless law primarily expresses...
  • Legal Authority: actions taken by state officials must have legal basis if they are to be lawful.
    • Habeas Corpus
    • Entick v Carrington 
  • Right to a fair hearing: 
    • Article 6 ECHR
  • Parliamentary Supremacy: courts developed and applied enrolled act rule. 
  • Interpretation of Statute: 
    • Thoburn
  • Strengths: precedent makes it consistent, reflect changes in society.
  • Weaknesses: precedent leads to inconsistencies bc law is complex. Impartial judges. 

• Royal Prerogative: Dicey definition, no definitive list, PM by convention. 
  • Crown Proceedings Act 1947: immunity tort and contract.
  • Fixed Term Parliament Act 2011: dissolve @ time of choosing. 
  • Strengths: advice of government.
  • Weaknesses: no modern examples, inappropriate in a democracy. 

Non-legal sources of the constitution: 

• Constitutional Conventions: Defined by Marshall and Moodie
  • rules of constitutional behaviour: binding, not legally enforceable, flexible. 
  • Madzimbamuto v Lardner-Burke southern rhodesia. 
  • AG v Jonathan Cape add weight to a decision. 
  • Strengths: flexible (regulate shift of power), limit monarch without constitutional upheaval, operate effectively, ensures accountability and they dont abuse their power. 
  • Weaknesses: not law (not…