Parliament, the Constitution, and Property in the United Kingdom

This book considers whether Parliament recognises a constitutional right to property.

Parliament is supreme: in theory, there is nothing to stop it from passing laws to confiscate property. Nevertheless, MPs often argue that a proposed law would be unconstitutional. What does this mean in a system without a written constitution? What counts as a sound argument about constitutional rights? And what influence do constitutional arguments have on the legislative process?

The book takes a close look at these questions. It reviews legislation and debates from the Middle Ages through to more recent legislation, and covers a wide range of topics, such as land reform, nationalisation, taxation, regulatory laws and retrospection. It also looks at the most recent debates and considers the relevance of constitutional thinking to election manifestos of the main political parties.

Tom Allen is Professor of Law at Durham University, UK.