ABSTRACT
In a state with a written constitution, the principal source of the rules regulating the state will be the Constitution itself, supplemented by the judicial decisions that have interpreted the meaning of aspects of the Constitution. In a state such as Britain, which has no written constitution, the situation is very different and it is necessary to look at a number of sources, both legal and non-legal. Among these are Acts of Parliament, judicial decisions,
the powers of the Crown (the Royal prerogative) and the non-legal but obligatory constitutional conventions. In addition to these sources, there are also principles that underpin the British Constitution. These include the concepts of the rule of law and separation of powers, discussed in Chapters 3 and 4, and parliamentary sovereignty considered in Chapter 5.
