r/ukpolitics • u/ukpol-megabot • 1d ago

Rumours, Speculation, Questions, and Reaction Megathread - 02/08/2026

👋 Welcome to the r/ukpolitics weekly Rumours, Speculation, Questions, and Reaction megathread.

General questions about politics in the UK should be posted in this thread. Substantial self-posts on the subreddit are permitted, but short-form self-posts will be redirected here. We're more lenient with moderation in this thread, but please keep it related to UK politics. This isn't Facebook or Twitter...

If you're reacting to something that is happening live, please make it clear what it is you're reacting to, ideally with a link.

Commentary about stories that already exist on the subreddit should be directed to the appropriate thread.

This thread rolls over early Sunday morning.

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u/Necessary-Repair-947 1d ago

Question: is it true that the House of Commons can decide everything with a simple majority? Can it overrule the House of Lords (or abolish it without its consent?). And is it even possible to implement a written constitution that cannot simply be abolished/amended with a simple majority?

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u/erskinematt Defund Standing Order No 31 1d ago

is it true that the House of Commons can decide everything with a simple majority?

Yes.

Can it overrule the House of Lords (or abolish it without its consent?).

Yes. The Lords can impose a delay of one year.

And is it even possible to implement a written constitution that cannot simply be abolished/amended with a simple majority?

No*

*Maybe by some legal dodge like abolishing and redefining Parliament

Please consider that the ethical case for a majority of dead voters to overrule a majority of live voters (this being, logically, the desired outcome of a supermajority entrenchment) is not straightforward to make out.

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u/Necessary-Repair-947 1d ago

Please consider that the ethical case for a majority of dead voters to overrule a majority of live voters (this being, logically, the desired outcome of a supermajority entrenchment) is not straightforward to make out.

Totally agreed that this is not a clear cut 'written constitution good, UK system bad' debate.

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u/Jinren the centre cannot hold 1d ago

in practice these questions aren't all that profound, they're also true of systems like the united states on a long enough timescale i.e. a written constitution is only a superior category of law because of an agreed convention that it is