British government and the constitution: text, cases and materials

Part I: Constitution, State and Beyond -- 1. The British constitutional order -- 2. The ideas of the constitution -- 3. Constitutional sources -- 4. Devolution and the structure of the United Kingdom -- 5. The European dimensions -- Part II: Government -- 6. Crown and government -- 7. The powers of government -- Part III: Accountability -- 8. Parties, groups and the people -- 9. Parliament and the responsibility of government -- 10. The courts: judicial review and liability -- Part IV: Liberty -- 11. Liberty and the Constitution.

The first five editions of this well established book were written by Colin Turpin. This new edition has been prepared jointly by Colin Turpin and Adam Tomkins. This edition sees a major restructuring of the material, as well as a complete updating. New developments such as the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 and recent case law concerning the sovereignty of Parliament, the Human Rights Act, counter-terrorism and protests against the Iraq War, among other matters, are extracted and analysed. While it includes extensive material and commentary on contemporary constitutional reform, Turpin and Tomkins is a book that covers the historical traditions and the continuity of the British constitution as well as the current tide of change. All the chapters contain detailed suggestions for further reading. Designed principally for law students the book includes substantial extracts from parliamentary and other political sources, as well as from legislation and case law. As such it is essential reading also for politics and government students. Much of the material has been reworked and with its fresh design the book provides a detailed yet accessible account of the British constitution at a fascinating moment in its ongoing development