Golden Principles

INTRODUCTION TO GOLDEN PRINCIPLES OF THE BRITISH CONSTITUTION

If successive British Governments had followed the shining examples of the Earl of Chatham (William Pitt the Elder) and Churchill adhering to the Golden Principles of the British Constitution outlined in essence below, the United Kingdom would not now be teetering on the very edge of final and total absorption by the European Union, be broken up into seven Regions in which the name of England no longer exists as a Country; nor would its citizens be subjected to an endless succession of oppressive, tyrannical and unnecessary laws, the aim of which can only be to impose ever tighter centralised control over the daily lives and livelihoods of every citizen save those in control.

The British Constitution stems in part from the Magna Charta (Great Charter) of 1215 when the barons assembled at Runnymede to clip the wings of wayward King John in order to protect themselves and the people from royal oppression. Then after the Civil War in the middle of the 17th Century, when King Charles I sought to assert the “divine right of kings” and lost his head in 1649, England flirted with republicanism -the Commonwealth – of “Protector” Cromwell for a brief period.

The nation meanwhile was willing to restore the monarchy and responded to the plea of Charles II to be restored to the throne. He was followed in turn by his brother James II. Neither Monarch appeared to have learned the lessons of the bloody Civil War as both clung to the notion of divine power and divisve religious beliefs. This led to another “revolution”, called “glorious” in that it was peaceful. Little or no blood was spilt. James II fled to France as Dutch William of Orange and his wife Mary, James’s daughter, landed at Torbay in 1688 and advanced with 10,000 men on London. An elected convention of elders drew up a Declaration of Rights that was subsequently ratified in statute form as the Bill of Rights of 1689. William and Mary accepted the throne of England and the limitations imposed by the Declaration and swore the Coronation Oath Act of 1689 to govern according to statute and custom.

This remains the foundation of the British Constitution together with parts of the Magna Charta. Its terms and conditions apply equally to the Sovereign of the day and all who serve the Crown in Parliament or outside as public servants, whether they are members of the judiciary or in the armed forces or police, civil servants or others in authority. Ultimately all are servants of the people obliged to defend and uphold the people’s sovereignty. As representatives of the Crown, their power is constrained by the Constitution that they are sworn to uphold. Are we to accept that a divine right of politicians has replaced the divine right of kings and that Parliament’s power is unlimited and arbitrary? If this is so, we have no defence or protection and no redress from tyranny or unscrupulous politicians asserting their imagined power unlawfully in pursuit of their own self interest, self-aggrandizement and privileges that may have little to do with democracy or the British national interest.

GOLDEN PRINCIPLES OF BRITISH CONSTITUTION

  1. Sovereignty is the inalienable birthright of the people, entrusted to the Monarch and administered by Parliament. Sovereignty may never lawfully be lent, breached, surrendered or transferred (even temporarily) except as a result of being conquered in war. It is indivisible.
  2. No one (neither Monarch, nor Prime Minister, nor any prelate, politician, judge or public servant) is above the Statute and Common Law of the United Kingdom that form the British Constitution (including Magna Carta [1215], the Declaration and Bill of Rights [1688/89], Acts of Union, Succession and Settlement [1701-07], the Coronation Oath Act [1689]).
  3. British Citizens have an inalienable right to be governed justly, lawfully and exclusively by their Parliament in Westminster (the Crown, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and freely elected/replaceable representatives in the Commons), all of whom are servants of the people.
  4. No Taxation is lawful without representation, nor may taxes be oppressive, unnecessary,
    confiscatory or contain double tax (eg VAT on petrol tax).
  5. Trial by Jury, habeas corpus and right of appeal are the inalienable right of all accused
    persons under British jurisdiction.
  6. Innocence is presumed unless proved guilty in court. If acquitted, no retrial on same charge.
  7. No fine or forfeiture before conviction by a court (eg arbitrary speeding and parking fines).
  8. The British Constitution is sworn by solemn oaths of office and/or allegiance to be upheld and defended impartially in perpetuity without exception by the Monarch, ministers, politicians, judges, members of the armed forces, police and others in authority.
  9. The Government must always act within limits and constraints imposed by the Constitution; including the making and unmaking of law; it may not diminish or transfer its own power so to act; nor weaken, ignore or over-ride the Constitution whether to serve its own or others’ ends; it may not suspend or dispense with the law; nor impose harsh or punitive law without cause.
  10. Constitutional Law may be improved or expressly repealed but only if not entrenched; it may never be supplanted or repealed just by passing a newer statute or administrative instrument.
  11. British Citizens may petition the Monarch if all other remedies fail, without fear of reprisal or prosecution. The Crown is sworn by oath to protect all subjects from violation of their lawful rights and liberties, retaining the power and responsibility to ensure redress is exercised.
  12. Guaranteed Justice. If wronged, British Citizens are entitled to a remedy and to seek redress in law. Punishment must fit the crime and must not be excessive or unusual, such as torture. Judgements must be exercised with compassion and mercy at every level.
  13. Right to be defended from our enemies.
  14. Right to defend self, family and property by whatever reasonable means necessary.
  15. Right to private ownership of property and assets.
  16. Right to engage in any activity not specifically banned in the national interest or safety.
  17. Right to associate freely or not to associate with any political party, trade union or
    organisation, except those posing a threat to security and interests of the United Kingdom.
  18. Right to freedom of speech, writing and publication.
  19. Freedom of religion and worship, except the Protestant Succession shall be maintained.
  20. Royal Prerogative shall be exercised only by the Sovereign on Constitutional issues and
    foreign treaties, never on behalf of the Crown by government ministers.
  21. Separation of Powers between Crown, Executive and Legislature be invariably maintained.
  22. The Crown shall always retain the absolute right to dissolve and open Parliament; call General Elections; refuse Royal Assent to any Bill that does not enjoy the settled will of Parliament or the interest of the nation or is unconstitutional; receive and act upon public petitions and declare war if unavoidable in self-defence of the United Kingdom and or our vital interests.

OUR BIRTHRIGHT OF GUARANTEED LIBERTY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BRITISH CONSTITUTION IS ABSOLUTE & ETERNAL