Picture by Daniel Guerin.

BAILIFF Geoffrey Rowland last night warned of the pitfalls of a written constitution.

Speaking at the Workers’ Educational Association Guernsey Raymond Falla Memorial lecture, he outlined the constitutional relationships within the Bailiwick, with the Crown, the UK and Europe.

In a wide-ranging talk that mostly examined how these had developed, Mr Rowland also expressed doubts about the likelihood of a Channel Island federation and said he never expected the UK would use powers to legislate for Guernsey. Mr Rowland (pictured) said that the current flexibility in the constitutional relationship with the UK had suited Guernsey extremely well.

‘I don’t think there’s anything greatly wrong with our constitution, you don’t see many people queuing up at the airport or White Rock to get out of here,’ he said. The relationship with the UK evolved quietly but persistently.  It was unique, he said.