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05 August 2022 / Roger Smith
Issue: 7990 / Categories: Opinion , Constitutional law
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Preserving the union

89700
Won’t anyone think about the constitution, asks Roger Smith

We will know soon enough the Tory party leader to succeed Boris Johnson. We know already the horrendous list of challenges that they will face: the Ukraine war, climate change, cost of living crisis, fuel costs, levelling up, NHS collapse. But there is one more. This might beguilingly look as if it can be ignored for the time being. But, it can’t. The future constitution of the UK is in play—whether we like it or not.

The English are particularly obtuse at understanding that the UK is not synonymous with them. By contrast, I have a particular sensitivity on this issue. I spent five years of my school life in endless re-enactments of a selective view of the great Anglo-Scottish battles of the past. I represented the invading and invariably defeated English. Somehow, the school bell always rang before we could get to the bloody defeats of Flodden and Culloden. All this was fuelled by classroom drawings of Robbie the Bruce watching the intrepid

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—four appointments

Birketts—four appointments

Firm expands partnership with four lateral hires across key practice areas

Harper James—Lottie Hugo

Harper James—Lottie Hugo

Commercial law firm announces appointment of corporate partner

Carey Olsen—Patrick Ormond

Carey Olsen—Patrick Ormond

Partner joins corporate and finance practice in British Virgin Islands

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Serial sperm donor Robert Albon has lost his bid for a declaration of paternity, ‘on the ground that to grant it would manifestly be contrary to public policy’
The government is considering wholesale reform of consumer class actions—the ‘opt-out’ collective claims certified by the Competition Appeals Tribunal (CAT)
A ‘sophisticated suspected fraud’ may have taken place at PM Law involving the improper removal and misuse of about £39.5m of client funds, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has confirmed
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) will invest in technology to catch tech-reliant fraudsters and handle voluminous case materials
Law firms enjoyed rapid growth in 2025, according to a Financial Benchmarking Survey, published by the Law Society last week
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