The Constitution of the United Kingdom by Peter Leyland

The Constitution of the United Kingdom by Peter Leyland

This acclaimed book provides a topical and contextual outline of the principles, doctrines and institutions that underpin the United Kingdom constitution. The second edition of The Constitution of the United Kingdom has been extensively rewritten to take account of recent constitutional developments, particularly changes made following the 2010 general election. The chapters are written in sufficient detail for anyone coming to the subject for the first time to develop a clear and informed view of how the constitution is arranged and how it operates. The main themes include: discussion of the history, sources and conventions of the constitution; later chapters deal with: constitutional principles, the role of the Crown, Parliament and the electoral system, government and the executive, the constitutional role of courts including the protection of human rights, the territorial distribution of power between central, devolved and local government, and the European Union dimension. In addition, the book offers an analytical discussion of the development of the constitution, its strengths and perceived weaknesses, and of reforms aimed at its modernisation.

[Leyland's] aim is to provide a concise, contextual and accessible introduction to the UK constitutionTo those three Cs one might add a fourth: comparative...Leyland undoubtedly makes good on all four Cs. His written style is admirably clear, conversational and free from jargon. The chapter discussions are punchy and never too drawn out. The arguments and accounts of abstract principles are brought to life with highly topical examples from the UK and beyond...What may seem an unlikely additional plus, given the book's aims, is its ambitious coverage. Just about everything one would expect to find in a much meatier, more advanced textbook is touched upon...It is the perfect companion for overseas students attempting to compare the UK constitution with their own. It will be of immense interest to anybody with a general interest in UK law, politics and history. -- Stuart Lakin * Times Higher Education *
Review of the 1st Edition ...Leyland has produced a slim guide to the constitution of the United Kingdom that is both highly readable and impressively thorough. It deserves a place on undergraduate reading lists as a precursor to a more theoretical examination, and given a very reasonable price one hopes that many students will feel able to purchase their own copy. They will certainly find it worth their while. -- C. J. S. Knight * The Cambridge Law Journal, 66 (3) *
Review of the 1st Edition ...provides an excellent discussion of the legal basis of parliamentary sovereignty… -- Alexandra Kelso * Parliamentary Affairs, Vol. 61 No. 3 *
Review of the 1st Edition Signposting is clear and helpful. Bibliographies are to the point...The prose is clear and authoritative. The reader's tour of Britain's constitutional history is efficient. The parliamentary process, including the passage of bills through Westminster, is described accessibly and with concision. The classic texts of constitutional analysis – Dicey, Bagehot, Jennings and the like – are introduced and their contribution summarised. And the radical reforms of the Blair administrations are recounted effectively...a valuable introductory survey. -- Andrew McDonald * The Law & Politics Book Review, Vol. 18 No.11 *

Peter Leyland is Professor of Public Law at the London Metropolitan University.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781849461603
ISBN 10	1849461600
Title	The Constitution of the United Kingdom
Author	Peter Leyland
Series	Constitutional Systems Of The World
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Year published	2012-01-31
Number of pages	362
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.