A Dissident's Guide to the Constitution: Episode 5, Part I — Democracy: a British value?

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The state may be sovereign, and yet, it is not the source of law.
— Ruben Alvarado, Common Law and Natural Rights

A doctrine of ‘parliamentary sovereignty’ appears to make the principle of the ‘rule of law’ subservient to a fluctuating legislative majority.
— T.S. Allen, The Sovereignty of Law: Freedom, Constitution, and Common Law

 

The claim is often made that Parliament is sovereign. Often, "Parliament" is taken to mean "not the Crown", or that the Crown should refrain from exercising a political role even if it is grudgingly acknowledged to have one.

Is it right that the Queen has bowed out of politics? What was she taught at an impressionable age (from twelve onwards) about her constitutional role? Why do UK Column News presenters voice consistent scepticism about the proposal of "direct" or "participatory" democracy (sometimes called “sortition”) and the likelihood that those chosen to have their say will be briefed by the Klaus Schwabs of this world? Isn't democracy a Fundamental British Value these days? What did household names C.S. Lewis and Lord Hailsham have to say in the post-war generation about democracy?

Join David Scott, Mike Robinson and Alex Thomson for the first half of Episode 5 of A Dissident's Guide to the Constitution, entitled Democracy—a British Value? The second half of the episode, released separately, will build on this ground to cover perhaps the best treatment so far written of what is wrong and unhistorical about the notion that a house of elected legislators, controlled by parties, is the cure for all ills.