What was the Statute of Westminster 1931 and when did it pass?
The Statute of Westminster passed on the 11th of December 1931 to remove nearly all authority for the British parliament to legislate for Dominions. This law granted legal autonomy to self-governing territories previously subordinate to Imperial authority.
Which countries adopted the Statute of Westminster 1931 immediately upon its passage in 1931?
Canada, the Irish Free State, and the Union of South Africa received immediate application of the whole statute because these three governments gave explicit consent for the law's application to their jurisdictions. Australia, New Zealand, and Newfoundland required each parliament to legislate adoption before sections 2 through 6 applied to them.
When did Australia adopt the Statute of Westminster 1931 and what date was it backdated to?
Australia adopted sections 2 to 6 with the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942 which was backdated to the 3rd of September 1939 when Britain and Australia joined the Second World War. All British power to legislate in Australia ended with the Australia Act 1986 passed at Australian request.
How did Ireland handle the Statute of Westminster 1931 compared to other Dominions?
The Irish Free State never formally adopted the Statute of Westminster despite its Executive Council taking that view because the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 had already ended Westminster's right to legislate for Ireland before 1931. The Free State renamed itself Ireland in 1937 leaving the Commonwealth on the 18th of April 1949 upon Republic of Ireland Act 1948 coming into force.
Why did Newfoundland not adopt the Statute of Westminster 1931 and what happened to the territory instead?
The Dominion of Newfoundland never adopted the statute due to financial troubles and corruption so the United Kingdom established a Commission of Government in 1934 resuming direct rule at Dominion request. This arrangement persisted until Newfoundland became a Canadian province following referendums held in 1948.