An Introduction to Constitutional and Administrative Law

The levels and sites of governmental power have moved so rapidly in the last few decades that the maps provided by many traditional textbooks scarcely resemble the realities of todays constitutional landscape. The changes wrought by developments such as devolution, the Human Rights Act, privatisation and the influence of Europe require a fresh approach to the study of constitutional law in the United Kingdom. There is a need to shift the focus from institutions exclusively to an account that considers constitutional values and processes. This book seeks to provide a critical but readable introduction to constitutional law as a study of the organisation and control of public power. Among its key themes are the changing nature of the state, new structures of governance, citizenship, Europe and the changing role of the judiciary.