The Cambridge Companion to Public Law

The Cambridge Companion to Public Law examines key themes, debates and issues in contemporary public law. The book identifies and draws out five key themes: the notions of government and the state; the place of the state and public law in the world at large; relationships between institutions and officials within the state; the legitimacy of institutions; and the identity and value of public law in relation to politics. The book also presents a contemporary examination, taking account of the substantial changes witnessed in this area in recent decades and of the resulting need to reassess orthodox accounts of the subject. Written by leading authorities drawn from across the common law world, their approach is rigorous, engaging and highly accessible. This Companion acts as both a thoughtful introduction and a collection that consciously moves the discipline forward.

Introduction Mark Elliott and David Feldman; 1. The distinctiveness of public law David Feldman; 2. The politics of public law David Howarth; 3. The rule of law in public law Jeremy Waldron; 4. Legislative supremacy in a multidimensional constitution Mark Elliott; 5. The politics of accountability Tony Wright; 6. Rights and democracy in UK public law Aileen McHarg; 7. Public law values in the common law Mark Aronson; 8. Public law and public laws Paul Craig; 9. Public law and privatisation Anne Davies; 10. State architecture: subsidiarity, devolution, federalism and independence Christopher McCrudden; 11. Soft law never dies Richard Rawlings; 12. The impact of public law litigation Maurice Sunkin; 13. Designing and operating constitutions in global context Cheryl Saunders.

Mark Elliott is Reader in Public Law at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of St Catharine's College.
David Feldman QC FBA is Rouse Ball Professor of English Law at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Downing College.