Portrait of Lord Melvyn Bragg, host of In Our Time

Constitutional laws of England

Constitutional law is a body of law which defines the role, powers, and structure of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the parliament or legislature, and the judiciary; as well as the basic rights of citizens and, in federal countries such as the United States and Canada, the relationship between the central government and state, provincial, or territorial governments. Not all nation states have codified constitutions, though all such states have a jus commune, or law of the land, that may consist of a variety of imperative and consensual rules.

2 episodes

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  1. The Hanoverian Succession

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the struggle by Whig politicians in London to have a Protestant from Hanover crowned at Westminster Abbey rather than the Catholic son of James II.

    28 November 2024

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    Featuring: Andreas Gestrich, Elaine Chalus, Mark Knights

     
  2. The Magna Carta

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Magna Carta, the charter issued by King John in 1215 that is often seen as the basis of English liberties.

    7 May 2009

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    Featuring: Nicholas Vincent, David Carpenter, Michael Clanchy