Referendums are invariably proposed, and opposed, out of political expediency and advantage, not out of constitutional principle.

The same question arose in relation to a second constitutional principle, that of parliamentary accountability.

Any attempt to advise refusal of royal assent to a bill passed by parliament would stand constitutional principle on its head.

This reflects the basic constitutional principle that governments cannot rule by decree in a democracy except for short periods while subject to parliamentary oversight.

The court had to be persuaded that the case engaged issues of legal and constitutional principle, rather than the apportionment of scarce public funds.