United Kingdom
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- constitutional monarchy
- CONSTITUTION
- unwritten, partly common law, partly customs and statutes
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on common law traditions with some influences from the modern Roman and continental system, acts of Parliament are not reviewed by the judiciary
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral, House of Commons and House of Lords
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- House of Lords (is the highest court of appeal) some Lords are appointed for life by the Queen
RELIGIONS
Christians 59.5%, Muslims 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, others 2%, unspecified 7.2%, none 25.7%
From the country
- OCTOBER 10, 2005MalawiDEATH PENALTY
EUROPEAN UNION. EU URGES MALAWI TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
the European Union (EU) urged Malawi to continue its effort to abolish the death sentence saying the fact that the country had not undertaken any execution since 1992 was an important step deserving support.
- SEPTEMBER 13, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. BRITON TO BE SENT BACK TO SINGAPORE FOR MURDER TRIAL
Australia was to extradite British businessman Michael McCrea to Singapore to face trial for a double murder after Australia's highest court rejected his bid to avoid being handed over. McCrea, 46, was accused of murdering his driver and his driver's girl
- SEPTEMBER 7, 2005United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
EUROPEN UNION. HUMAN RIGHTS CONVENTION SHOULD NOT BLOCK EXPULSIONS, UK HOME MINISTER
British Interior Minister Charles Clarke told EU lawmakers that it was necessary to rethink the European Convention of Human Rights on the ban on extraditing people to countries where they risked torture and execution.
- AUGUST 30, 2005AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA. BRITON WANTED FOR MURDER IN SINGAPORE CLOSER TO EXTRADITION
Michael McCrea, a British businessman accused of a double murder in Singapore, lost another round in a three-year fight to avoid extradition from Australia on the grounds that he could be executed.
- AUGUST 11, 2005AlgeriaDEATH PENALTY
UNITED KINGDOM. DEPORTATION RISK FOR TEN PEOPLE ARRESTED FOR TERRORISM
ten foreign nationals considered to pose a terrorist threat were detained in the last 24 hours by British police, with the intention of deporting them to their home countries.
- AUGUST 10, 2005JordanDEATH PENALTY
UK. BRITAIN SIGNS DEPORTATION DEAL WITH JORDAN
Britain signed an agreement with Jordan, which allowed British courts to depart Jordanians considered to pose a threat to its national security and public order, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) confirmed.
- JULY 5, 2005IraqDEATH PENALTY
UK. FOREIGN OFFICE UNABLE TO HAND OVER SADDAM EVIDENCE
it was reported that British Ministers were refusing to hand over evidence of Saddam Hussein's war crimes to Iraqi prosecutors - for fear of breaching his human rights.
- MAY 17, 2005United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
a UK judge ruled that British national Babar Ahmad could be extradited to the US
a UK judge ruled that British national Babar Ahmad could be extradited to the US to face charges of soliciting support for terrorism and trying to set up a terrorist training camp in Arizona.
- MAY 13, 2005United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
OHIO. RICHEY’S HOPES RISE WITH NEW COURT RULING
Kenny Richey, a Scot on death row in the US state of Ohio was told that an appeal court decision to quash his conviction could not be set aside, a ruling that could finally end his imprisonment. Richey, who had been facing execution for 18 years, would ha
- APRIL 22, 2005United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
OHIO, USA. APPEAL SETBACK FOR RICHEY
the decision to overturn the conviction of death row Scot Kenny Richey was to be appealed to the US Supreme Court, prosecutors announced.
- APRIL 20, 2005United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
(untitled)
United Kingdom was a cosponUnited Kingdom was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.sor and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Huma
- APRIL 18, 2005United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
US. NO DEATH PENALTY FOR UK TERROR SUSPECT
the United States Government provided a written assurance that a British terror suspect Babar Ahmad would not face the death penalty if he was extradited to face trial there.