Lady Hale’s 2015 Bryce Lecture: The Supreme Court in the United Kingdom Constitution

Lady Hale gave the 2015 Bryce Lecture earlier this month, taking “The Supreme Court in the United Kingdom Constitution” as her title. The lecture does not break any new ground, but is a helpful overview of a range of issues concerning the constitutional authority of the courts vis-a-vis the other branches of government, with particular reference to contemporary issues relating to parliamentary sovereignty. In particular, Lady Hale considers the Jackson and AXA judgments, the implications for parliamentary sovereignty of devolution and membership of the European Union, and the courts’ role in relation to protecting fundamental rights. Law students, in particular, are likely to find this to be a useful survey. The full text of the lecture can be found here.