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
- APRIL 6, 2007VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR BRITISH CITIZEN
a Vietnam appeals court upheld the death sentence imposed on a British citizen of Vietnamese origin who was convicted of heroin trafficking, state-controlled media reported.
- MARCH 25, 2007United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
DUO MAY FACE FIRING SQUAD FOR DRUG CRIMES IF DEPORTED
two illegal immigrants who worked on one of Scotland's biggest cannabis farms face execution when deported, their lawyer claimed.
- JANUARY 8, 2007United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
UK. BLAIR SAYS VIDEO OF SADDAM EXECUTION "DEPLORABLE"
Tony Blair has backed the Iraqi government's announcement of an inquiry into the circumstances of the execution of Saddam Hussein.
JANUARY 8, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYUK. BROWN: SADDAM'S EXECUTION 'COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE'
British Chancellor of Exchequer Gordon Brown condemned the hanging of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein as "deplorable" and "completely unacceptable", the BBC reported.
- JANUARY 1, 2007United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The United Kingdom abolished the death penalty for murder on December 18...
The United Kingdom abolished the death penalty for murder on December 18...
- DECEMBER 28, 2006IraqDEATH PENALTY
UN RIGHTS CHIEF CALLS FOR RESTRAINT IN SADDAM CASE
the UN human rights chief called for restraint by Iraqi authorities over Saddam Hussein's death sentence, saying there were concerns about the fairness of the original trial.
- NOVEMBER 25, 2006United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM SENTENCES FOUR INCLUDING BRITISH CITIZEN TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
a Vietnamese court sentenced to death four people, including a British citizen of Vietnamese origin, after convicting them of drug trafficking.
NOVEMBER 16, 2006PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCE FOR BRITON: OFFICIAL
President Pervez Musharraf has commuted the death sentence for a British man who has been in jail in Pakistan for the past 18 years for a murder he says he didn't commit, Pakistan's interior minister said.
- OCTOBER 19, 2006PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN. DEATH ROW BRITON GETS TWO-MONTH REPRIEVE
it was announced that the execution of Mirza Tahir Hussain, a British man held in Pakistan, will not take place during Prince Charles's visit to the country.
- OCTOBER 19, 2006United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN DENIES BRITISH PRESSURE HELPED DELAY EXECUTION
Pakistan said it did not postpone the execution of Mirza Tahir Hussain under pressure from London, adding that the two-month delay was meant to give relatives time to reach a compromise.
- OCTOBER 18, 2006United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
UNITED KINGDOM. BLAIR URGES PAKISTAN TO STAY BRITON'S EXECUTION
Prime Minister Tony Blair urged Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to intervene again to halt the hanging of a British national, scheduled to occur during a royal visit to his country. And it also emerged that Prince Charles, due to visit Pakistan at th
- OCTOBER 16, 2006PalauDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN. NEW EXECUTION DATE SET FOR BRITON
the brother of a Leeds man on death row in Pakistan made an urgent appeal for his life after hearing he was to be executed in two weeks.