Leducate Explains: The Constitution
Leducate currently has articles and has hosted talks on various topics of the UK constitution. We are looking to post an article that explains some of its principles with a focus on their impact on individuals. Some ideas of what to include:
The source (e.g. the authoritative text or case cited as establishing this principle) and a brief explanation of the basic tenets that cut across and underpin all areas of UK law. E.g. an equivalent of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights - including some of the rights in the UK's Bill of Rights1688. The below is a list of suggestions to trigger thoughts, and in no way intended to be an exhaustive (or wholly accurate) list:
'Everything is legal except that which is expressly prohibited’
Rule of law
Parliament is ultimately sovereign
Royal prerogatives (e.g. to declare war)
Judicial independence
'Justice must be done and seen to be done'
Police and Criminal Evidence Act rights (to representation, proper arrest etc)
Democratic rights - to vote, representation etc
Human rights (not necessarily the detail of the rights themselves, but their establishment in law)
Free speech (including of the press)
You must come to equity with clean hands
The eggshell skull principle
The government must act within the powers proscribed for it
The above are guides of what we think will fit well in the article but are not prescriptive.
NOTE - This article does stray very closely to the political. It should be noted that this series is purely informative, and should not take any particular opinion, good or bad.
The article should be 750 - 1000 words and should be an accessible explanation of the issue, in simple terms for to engage 16-18-year-olds without a legal background.
NOTE: We have found that it is essential for articles of this kind to be written with limited legal terms, and to be clearly defined when they are used, to make them as accessible as possible. We would ask, therefore, to limit complex legal jargon to ensure that the article is easily digestible by the targeted audience.
Remember - The law can be scary, at Leducate we hope to make it as accessible as possible!
Be sure to let us know if you are interested in writing this article below.