A NEW book exploring the rich and sometimes surprising history of the British Constitution has been launched in Worcester.
Leading Works in the History of the Constitution, edited by Worcester University law lecturer Dr Chris Monaghan, brings together a diverse group of contributors, from seasoned academic scholars to the emerging voices of early career researchers, to analyse leading contemporary accounts of the constitution with key documents and sources.
Attendees at the launch were treated to a keynote lecture titled ‘Constitutions Matter’, delivered by the Rt Hon. Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE, former president of the Supreme Court, who is a contributor to the book.
Dr Monaghan said: “The book examines important agreements, cases and written works which have developed how we understand our constitution in Britain.
“For example; in one chapter Dr Robert Craig from the University of Bristol examines the importance of Magna Carta, in another Professor Mark Goldie from the University of Cambridge looks at religious toleration and the ongoing impact of anti-Catholic legislation, which is still relevant today in determining who can become monarch.
“Every author who contributed to the collection brings something very different in terms of their style and that makes it very eclectic and not a traditional or formal ‘A to Z’ of the constitution. We’ve all dug into our areas to engage the reader in what’s going on.”
Ahead of the launch, the book had already drawn critical acclaim from some of the leading figures in legal academia in the UK, and while it will be of great use in academic settings, Dr Monaghan believes it will be of great use to anyone who has an interest in the British Constitution.
He added: “You don’t have to be an academic to enjoy it. There’s a real public appetite for knowledge on our legal heritage and the feedback I’ve had is that the book is immensely readable.”
