There is a principle that no parliament can bind a future parliament.

If a parliament enters into a 12 year agreement with another bloc where
would the UK stand if a future parliament decided it wasn't in the UK's
best interest and rescinded it.

A supplementary question - would that bloc be deemed to know the principle
and (therefore) be bound by it?

--
Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
This joke was so funny when I heard it for the first time I fell of my dinosaur.

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On 27/05/2025 10:07, Jeff Gaines wrote:

There is a principle that no parliament can bind a future parliament.

If a parliament enters into a 12 year agreement with another bloc where
would the UK stand if a future parliament decided it wasn't in the UK's
best interest and rescinded it.

A supplementary question - would that bloc be deemed to know the
principle and (therefore) be bound by it?

A future parliament can always abandon policies or rules or commitments
that a previous parliament has entered into.

The only drawbacks are: would there be a breach of contract with the
other party to the 12 year agreement? Would that other party no longer
trust the British government to be a reliable partner? Various expenses
might have been incurred in the expectation that the arrangement would
last 12 years.

And, of course, the electorate isn't very impressed if our politicians
keep flip-flopping on matters of importance. Which they tend to do
anyway, but each time it tends to undermine support.

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On Tue, 27 May 2025 09:07:39 +0000, Jeff Gaines wrote:

There is a principle that no parliament can bind a future parliament.

If a parliament enters into a 12 year agreement with another bloc where
would the UK stand if a future parliament decided it wasn't in the UK's
best interest and rescinded it.

A supplementary question - would that bloc be deemed to know the
principle and (therefore) be bound by it?

Welcome to the exciting world of international negotiations !

You initial statement is spot on. To rephrase it, no parliament is bound
by it's successors.

In practice this means that the UKs acquiescence to international
treaties is entirely voluntary, and that parliament is totally at liberty
to create new laws that either abrogate or terminate the treaty
unilaterally.

Of course if the treaty contains clauses that cover that eventuality, the
UK - if it considers itself still bound by the treaty - would have to
also comply with them.

However, if parliament wanted to say "Up yours" and just refuse to comply
with the treaty, there is nothing that can be done from within the UK.

Of course the other party or parties can act as they see fit. If that
means sanctions or other measures intended to punish the UK, then so be
it.

It's probably the least contentious or mysterious part of the UKs opaque
and muddied constitution. You can't really over complicate it.

I expect someone will be alone to contradict me :)

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"Jeff Gaines" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

There is a principle that no parliament can bind a future parliament.

If a parliament enters into a 12 year agreement with another bloc where would the UK
stand if a future parliament decided it wasn't in the UK's best interest and rescinded
it.

All economies in tne modern world exist in a state of mutual
inter-dependence, to some extent at least.

If the UK decided it wasn't in their interest to honour any particular agreement, then all the other parties with whom the UK held (to her)
other beneficial agreements, and there must be some, might want to consider their position as well.

Given the UK is clearly no longer trustworthy.

A supplementary question - would that bloc be deemed to know the principle and
(therefore) be bound by it?

Either there is mutual trust or there isn't.

With a large power imbalance stronger parties can simply dictate
their own terms for agreements and then break them at will. As did all
the Colonial powers and successive US Governments did with the Native Americans.

While without a large power imbalance if sanctions and isolation don't
work (see above) then the only other alternative is War.

Many of which concern the breaking of agreements as to which country
owns which particular piece of land. And its associated natural
resources.


bb

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On Tue, 27 May 2025 11:37:17 +0100, billy bookcase wrote:

"Jeff Gaines" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

[quoted text muted]

All economies in tne modern world exist in a state of mutual inter-dependence, to some extent at least.

That is an interesting theory. However, for balance, we have to state the counter theory that the UK economy is unique and not subject to that restriction.

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On 2025-05-27, Jethro_uk wrote:

On Tue, 27 May 2025 11:37:17 +0100, billy bookcase wrote:

"Jeff Gaines" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

[quoted text muted]

All economies in tne modern world exist in a state of mutual
inter-dependence, to some extent at least.

That is an interesting theory. However, for balance, we have to state the counter theory that the UK economy is unique and not subject to that restriction.

Of course, and when they have globers on TV news, they should have a flat-earther for balance.

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On Wed, 28 May 2025 18:27:02 +0100, Adam Funk wrote:

On 2025-05-27, Jethro_uk wrote:

On Tue, 27 May 2025 11:37:17 +0100, billy bookcase wrote:

"Jeff Gaines" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

[quoted text muted]

All economies in tne modern world exist in a state of mutual
inter-dependence, to some extent at least.

That is an interesting theory. However, for balance, we have to state
the counter theory that the UK economy is unique and not subject to
that restriction.

Of course, and when they have globers on TV news, they should have a flat-earther for balance.

Pleased you agree.

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