Constitutional and Administrative Law

Written by two experts in the field, Constitutional and Administrative Law is highly regarded for its comprehensive and authoritative coverage of  this rapidly changing area of the law.

The wide-ranging constitutional reforms which have characterised much of the Labour government since 1997 have not slowed since the publication of the previous edition in 2006. In the new fifteenth edition, the authors analyse these changes while maintaining a focus on essential legal principles bringing detailed analysis and illuminating insight to students of constitutional and administrative law.

A staple recommendation on undergraduate and postgraduate law courses throughout the UK, Constitutional and Administrative Law is also used by practising lawyers, political scientists and public administrators.

This classic text, now in its fifteenth edition, provides an authoritative account of a challenging and fast-moving subject – the public law of the United Kingdom.   Written in a clear and accessible style, illustrated by examples and supported throughout by references for further reading from a wide range of sources, the book analyses the unwritten constitution, the institutions of government, and the relationship between the citizen and the state.

This new edition deals with numerous developments in public law since the previous edition, including:

The clash between new laws against terrorism and protection of human rights under the Human Rights Act 1998

The impact on the political parties of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009

Changes in the law affecting MPs, following the revelations in 2009 about their expenses

Impact of the Lisbon Treaty on national law

Creation of the Supreme Court and of a comprehensive system of tribunals

Effects of the global financial crisis and the government’s entry into the business of banking

Constitutional and Administrative Law  continues to be the leading text recommended for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the UK, and is relied on by practising lawyers, politicians, political scientists and public administrators, both in the United Kingdom and beyond.  This edition is the product of a longstanding collaboration between its two authors.

Anthony Bradley was Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Edinburgh before becoming a practising barrister in London.  From 2002-2005 he was legal adviser to the House of Lords Committee on the Constitution.  His publications include Janis, Kay and Bradley, European Human Rights Law: Text and Materials (3^rd edition, 2008).

Keith Ewing has been Professor of Public Law at King’s College London since 1989, having taught previously at Edinburgh and Cambridge universities.  His books in the fields of civil liberties, electoral law and labour law include The Cost of Democracy (2007), and Bonfire of the Liberties (2010).   

"The text provides a clear, succinct, reliable and authoritative guide to the study of Constitutional and Administrative Law. It helps the diligent student to bring structure and order to the breadth of primary and secondary material, whilst also providing insights for those more experienced in the subject."

Angus Johnston, Senior Lecturer, University of Cambridge

 "Bradley and Ewing’s Constitutional and Administrative Law is unmatched in its coverage of the UK’s constitution, past, present and future. The detail and insight into the UK’s constitutional arrangements make it essential reading for students and academics alike. The authors ensure that the reader is guided through the complex issues raised by extensive references to primary materials, constitutional theory and indications for further reading. Wholly recommended."

Dr Paul James Cardwell, Lecturer in Law, School of Law, University of Sheffield

This is an exceptionally valuable text. It is written at a level which will be clear to the student reader, whilst remaining both interesting and stimulating. The text is concise, pared back but not simplified, and is overwhelmingly trustworthy and authoritative - as it has consistently been throughout the text’s long life, maintained by its several excellent, committed authors. 

Kay Goodall, University of Stirling