Is Britain Eying A Constitution?

Despite being the birthplace of the Magna Carta – the blueprint for countless constitutions, including our own – Britain is one of just three major democracies without a formal, written constitution. Its system is cobbled together from centuries’ worth of common law, acts of Parliament, treaty obligations and historical conventions, with much – including a formal job description for the prime minister – left unsaid. Now, facing Scotland’s efforts to become independent and coming up on a major debate about whether or not to remain in the European Union, some in the country have said the time has come to establish a written constitution. A member of the House of Lords has introduced a bill that would trigger a constitutional convention if passed.