… or the Statute of Praemunire 

In his speech to the Conservative Party Conference today, Boris Johnson suggested that the Prime Minister risked prosecution under a 14th century law saying that “no foreign court or government shall have jurisdiction in this country” , i.e. The Statute of Praemunire (16 Ric 2 c 5), enacted in 1392. As we noted in a post last year in relation to the appointment of the Bishop of Sheffield,

“S5 Cathedrals Measure 1999 requires the college to perform the functions conferred by the Appointment of Bishops Act 1533 under which they must “with all spede and seleritie in due forme electe and chose the seid person named in the seid letters myssyves to the dignitie and office ofthe Archebishopriche or Bishopriche soo being voyde”. Continue reading →