The Statute of Westminster of 1931 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that sets the basis for the relationship between the Commonwealth realms and the Crown.
Passed on 11 December 1931, the Statute established the legislative independence of the self-governing Dominions of the British Empire from the United Kingdom.
As the Statute removed nearly all of the British parliament's authority to legislate for the Dominions, it had the effect of making the Dominions largely sovereign nations in their own right. It was a crucial step in the development of the Dominions as separate states.
The Statute of Westminster is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that sets the basis for the relationship between the Commonwealth realms and the Crown.
Passed on 11 December 1931, the Statute, established the legislative independence of the self-governing Dominions of the British Empire from the United Kingdom. It also bound them all to seek each other's approval for changes to monarchical titles and the common line of succession. The Statute was effective either immediately or upon ratification. It thus became a statutory embodiment of the principles of equality and common allegiance to the Crown set out in the Balfour Declaration of 1926. As the Statute removed nearly all of the British parliament's authority to legislate for the Dominions, it had the effect of making the Dominions largely sovereign nations in their own right. It was a crucial step in the development of the Dominions as separate states, and just as crucial a step in the decolonisation process of the British Empire.
The Statute of Westminster gave effect to certain political resolutions passed by the Imperial Conferences of 1926 and 1930; in particular, the Balfour Declaration of 1926. The main effect was the removal of the ability of the British parliament to legislate for the Dominions, part of which also required the repeal of the Colonial Laws Validity Act 1865 in its application to the Dominions. King George V expressed his desire that the laws of royal succession be exempt from the Statute's provisions, but it was determined that this would be contrary to the principles of equality set out in the Balfour Declaration. Both Canada and the Irish Free State pushed for the ability to amend the succession laws themselves and section 2(2) (allowing a Dominion to amend or repeal laws of paramount force, such as the succession laws, insofar as they are part of the law of that Dominion) was included in the Statute of Westminster at Canada's insistence.
After the Statute was passed, the British parliament could no longer make laws for the Dominions, other than with the request and consent of the government of that Dominion. Before then, the Dominions had legally been self-governing colonies of the United Kingdom. However, the statute had the effect of making them sovereign nations once they adopted it.
Exercises:
1. Re-read the text, make up a list of necessary vocabulary and answer the following questions: 1) What is the Statute of Westminster? 2) What rights did it grant to the Dominions? 3) How did it influence the British colonial development? 4) Could Britain directly influence the politics internal politics of its Dominions? 5) What Dominions insisted on having the succession laws amendment rights?
2. Find in the text the following words and word combinations, find a Russian equivalent for them and add them to your working vocabulary: legislative independence; ratification; succession laws; to be exempt; self-governing.
3. Use the words from the Exercise 2 in your own sentences.
4. Write your summary of the text, emphasising in it: a) its subject matter, b) the facts discussed, c) the author's point of view on these facts.
