Winners of competition to write intro to new Magna Carta
10 February 2015
Political and Constitutional Reform Committee announces winners of competition to write an introduction to a new Magna Carta
Background
In July last year the House of Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Committee (PCRC) launched a major consultation on the issues and ideas involved in creating a written constitution for the United Kingdom – a new Magna Carta.
The Committee opened a competition for members of the general public, and a special category for under-18s, to write the preamble to the constitution, setting out its foundation and guiding principles.
800th anniversary of the creation of the Magna Carta
2015 marks the 800th anniversary of the creation of the Magna Carta, and last week the four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta were brought together for the first time in Parliament. This Wednesday, February 11, Graham Allen MP Chair of the Committee and Speaker of the Commons Rt Hon John Bercow MP will host a small award ceremony to present the winners of the two preamble competition categories.
On the same day, Graham Allen MP will ask British Prime Minister Rt Hon David Cameron MP at PMQs “If he will commission a new Magna Carta to renew democracy in the UK as part of the celebrations of the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, and if he will make a statement”
The Speaker, Rt Hon John Bercow MP, said:
"Over the past eight centuries the public and their Parliament have shaped society and changed the way we live our lives. The sealing of the Magna Carta in 1215 and the Montfort parliament of 1265 marked the start of the journey towards modern rights and representation, paving the way for the House of Commons and democracy as we know it today. The Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee has embarked on an ambitious project to seek views on a new Magna Carta, and I am delighted to see how many people have been inspired to participate in the discussions about our future. These 2015 anniversaries should be seized upon as the opportunity both to praise our past and to focus on our future.”
Graham Allen MP, Chair of the Committee, said:
“In this year of the Magna Carta anniversary it is really inspiring to have had such a great response from members of the public, and particularly from young people, to the Committee’s competition. The three winning preambles would do justice to any future written constitution. I congratulate all those who took part in the competition, and particularly our three winners.”