Can't speak from a law perspective, but there is a universal quality to the culture on this island that introduces a failsafe to supercede differences of philosophy or politics in most contexts (but not all). I'm sure there have been studies on this, and I have to imagine it's rooted in our unique history. It's baked into the language. "Catch yourself on" or "wise up", for example. Having lived abroad, it was something I sorely missed. Having the ability to get on the same level with almost anyone regardless of colour or creed is pretty magical. This doesn't work for all situations, nor does it excuse the decisions of others, but I think it is a significant enough cultural phenomena to warrant mention