This Note will consider the background to the introduction of the Magna Carta and consider the influence the Magna Carta has had in the 800 years since its creation.
A Brief History of the Magna Carta (328 KB , PDF)
This Note has not been written in preparation for a specific debate in the House of Lords, but is offered as a short guide for Members on a topic of general interest. In 2015, it will be 800 years since the Magna Carta, or ‘Great Charter’, is thought to have been sealed by King John on 15 June 1215. This Note will consider the background to the introduction of the Magna Carta, providing a summary of some of the factors that historians have identified as important in bringing the Charter into existence. It will look at the provisions of the original document and how these were amended in subsequent reissues; provide a brief account of the later history of the document; and consider the influence the Magna Carta has had in the 800 years since its creation.
A Brief History of the Magna Carta (328 KB , PDF)
In January 2025 the House of Lords Constitution Committee published a report on the responsibility of the government (the executive) to oversee the constitution. It concluded that the UK’s constitutional arrangements would benefit from several improved safeguards, such as the appointment of a senior minister to advise on constitutional matters and for advisory bodies to be put on a statutory footing.
The government has committed to reducing and reclaiming public money lost to fraud and error. The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill contains provisions to extend Cabinet Office and Public Sector Fraud Authority powers to tackle fraud and error outside the tax and benefits system, and also expands powers to tackle fraud within the benefits system. The bill is due to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 15 May 2025.
2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day and Victory over Japan Day, events which in 1945 brought an end to the second world war. On those days 80 years ago, celebrations erupted across Britain. However, world leaders and domestic politicians were aware of the numerous problems still to be tackled, such as reconstruction, demobilisation and the legacy of the development and use of the atomic bomb.
