ABSTRACT
There have been three key constitutional issues in the modern United Kingdom. These are the representative nature of the House of Commons (through the extent of the franchise and the size of the constituencies); the legislative power of the House of Commons in relation to the House of Lords as a blocking mechanism; and the right of parts of the United Kingdom to a measured form of autonomy or devolved power. The following broad outline is intended as an overall perspective to the periods before, during and after the careers of Gladstone and Disraeli.
