The foundation of the UK's unwritten constitution is that you may do anything that is not prohibited by law. You do not need someone's permission to exercise your free will - your freedoms are not "granted" but fundamental. A lot of people misunderstand that.

Having said that we do see such freedoms being eroded (particularly over the last 20 years) by the "something must be done" style of legislation that now seeks in curb activities that are disapproved of by the establishment.