UK PM Burnham signals support for written constitution

Unlike most countries, Britain does not have a written constitution and is instead governed by statutes, common law judgments and treaties

Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has signalled his support for a written constitution for the UK, which unlike most countries, does not have one authoritative document.

Since entering office just two weeks ago, the former mayor of Greater Manchester has made devolution of power to regional authorities a focus of his administration.

“In the end, I think it does start to point towards a new constitutional settlement,” Burnham said of his devolution plans.

Calling for a “new clear set of principles about how this country should be run”, Burnham said there was a need for a written constitution – something he has called for before he was prime minister.

“It’s wrong that people are left arguing for things that are just fundamental … and the lack of a constitution disempowers places in that situation,” said Burnham.

Unlike most countries around the world, Britain does not have a written constitution, and is instead governed by a patchwork of statutes, common law judgments and treaties.

The push for a written constitution is fairly recent, with Labour’s Gordon Brown, who was prime minister from 2007 to 2010, an early proponent of the overhaul.