The Scottis Constitutional Covin

Author: Professor Alf Baird

The Scottis Constitutional Covin

(Frae the decree’d practeeses an documents o Scotlan afore the Treaty o Union accordin tae the staundart praisently applee’d tae thae o England.)

  1. The soorce o pouer in Scotlan wis an is vestit in the fowk, the community o the kinrick, wha dispone hit condeetionally tae thair rowlers or government. This is kent as faur ben soveranty1.
  2. The Community o the naition o Scotlan remeens the weel-forrit an feenal authority frae whit poleetical an executive pouer is drawn frae. Aw poleetical an raad pouer is devolved bi the will o the fowk o Scotlan for the cowmon guid. Nae poleetical nor raad pouer endure’t apairt frae or abuin the authority o the Community o the naition.
  3. The dispone o the pouer tae govern is condeetional on heid o state an government bide-by tae a constitutional covin bi whit pouer is lent fer the cowmon guid an in the interests o the hale kinrick, (aw fowk in e’en degree).
  4. The constitutional covin requairs the bowsome o the fowk in maiters o laa, stent an guid conduck. In return, government pouer is leemitit an directit bi its obligation tae uphaud, pertect, an forder the cowmon guid. Thon includes the requirement tae uphaud an pertect the richts an leeberties o the fowk an tae owerwird frae the misuise o pouer or the exerceese o pouer tae the hairm o the cowmon guid as in sling a deifie, chynge or cast laa’s an proveesions whit uphaud the richts an leeberties o the fowk.
  5. In parteecular it is unlaafu in Scotlan fer ony government:
    • tae claim, or socht tae exerceese, soveranety ower the Scottis fowk or tae pertend tae the richt tae ack agin the cowmon guid
    • tae attemptit tae cheenge the foondamental constitution whit leemits an direcks the condeetional uise o pouer bi a heid o state or government
    • tae pit by or cast laa’s that endure’t fer the pertection, the guid or the freedoms o the fowk
    • tae demand, unner dronach tae ken the preevat thochts o individuals or ettle tae win this knawledge withoot consent
    • tae abuise the laa in rander tae veectimise or puinish poleetical faes
    • tae offer grants (an financial avantages) withoot pairlamentary owersicht
    • tae dispone immunity frae public det (sic as cesses) withoot public owersicht
    • tae leemit the richt tae peacefu ootcry
    • tae leemit the richt tae peteetion fer juistice2
  1. The richt o the fowk tae uphaud the cowmon guid, tae conseeder, condamm, an reject the misuise o pouer, (whit is, the uise o pouer tae the injur o the cowmon guid), an tae resile the len o pouer in eftercast, haes been constitutionally an practically enshuired bi the exerceese o na-say3 an bi the authority o aither a feck deceesion bi the pairlament (noo weed awa) or o the Convenery o the Estaites (Assemmly o the Communities), tae applee chap, remeed or amends bi remuival4 , (including bi authoreesed rebellion5 ).
  2. Thir richts hiv been, an remeen, uphaudit bi:

a. The creaution an mainteenance o extrae-pairlamentary, representative bodies authoreesed tae applee the constitutionally available remeedies agin an abuissive, governing pouer . Sic bodies is sicweys a foondamental requirement o constitutionally richtous government in Scotlan.

b. Public aiccess tae a trowthfu accoontin o the actions, an effects o the actions, o thaim in poseetions o pouer. Sicweys a trowthfu, unpairtial an independent public media source an lawfu pertected freedom o speech are intrinsic tae the Scottis Constitution.


[1] Declaration o the Clergy 1310, Declaration o Arbroath 1320, 1450 Act proheeditin rebellion agin the monarch withoot pairlamentary consent (uphauden the richt o rebellion in Scotlan), Claim o Richt Act 1689

[2] Claim o Richt Act 1689

[3] See the practeese o Salvo frae 1592, Act o Salvo in 1663

[4] Claim o Richt Act 1689

[5] 1450 Act proheebitin rebellion agin the monarch withoot pairlamentary consent (uphauden the richt o rebellion in Scotlan)

[6] Thay bodies hiv included the Gairdians o the Kinrick, the General Cooncil whit becam Convenery o the Estaites, the Coort o Session an the Convenery o the Burghs whit scrowe statutes, haudit coorts an owerseen an raad the return o a pairt o the naitional cess tae a cowmon guid fond o ilka burgh. Thay developit an opertatit in concert wi but apairt frae the Chree Estaites, or the pairlament o Scotlan whit, wi the monarch, makkit the government.

 


Professor Alf Baird

Professor Alf Baird

Alf Baird was, prior to his retirement in 2016, Professor of Maritime Business and Director of the Maritime Research Group at Edinburgh Napier University. He has a PhD in Strategic Management in Global Shipping. His specialist area of research and teaching is strategic management in maritime transport. His research activities encompass most of the world’s main shipping markets in Europe, Asia, Mid-East and North and Latin America, and Australasia. He has published more than 200 research articles and delivered over 150 conference papers.