THE GUARDIAN: For a Cummings-influenced government to break promises is no surprise. But breaking the law is still a jaw-dropping move
To the patron saint of modern Conservatives, the rule of law was always fundamental to economic prosperity. It was also always distinctively British. In her memoirs, Margaret Thatcher identified the rule of law as the foundational underpinning of commercial confidence in any society. And in a 1982 interview she said that Britain gave the very idea of the rule of law to Europe. As she put it: “The law came from us.”
Thatcher also shared the view of her favourite lawyer, Lord Denning, that the law should uphold the keeping of promises. She extended this to upholding the obligations of international treaties too. In 1975, she told the Tory women’s conference that: “In the same way that government and individuals should be bound by law so countries should be bound by treaties.” She added: “Britain does not renounce treaties. Indeed, to do so would damage our own integrity as well as international relations.” » | Martin Kettle | Wednesday, September 9, 2020
