What is the ratio in Tweddle v Atkinson?

The ratio is the doctrine of privity of contract - only parties to a contract who have provided consideration can enforce it; third party beneficiaries cannot sue even if the contract was made for their benefit.

What did the court decide in Tweddle v Atkinson?

The court decided that Tweddle could not enforce his father and father-in-law's agreement to pay him money, because he was not a party to the contract and had provided no consideration.

Why is Tweddle v Atkinson important for contract law?

It established the fundamental privity doctrine that restricted enforcement rights to contracting parties only, a principle that dominated English contract law until the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

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