Executive Accountability and Oversight

This final lesson brings together the themes of the PM and Executive topic by examining how the Executive is held accountable. Accountability is a cornerstone of democratic government — the idea that those who exercise power must answer for how they use it. This lesson evaluates the mechanisms of accountability and asks: Is the UK Executive effectively held to account?

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What Is Executive Accountability?

Executive accountability means that the PM, ministers, and the government as a whole are answerable to:

• Parliament (the principal mechanism of accountability).
• The electorate (through elections).
• The judiciary (through judicial review and the rule of law).
• The media and public opinion (through transparency and scrutiny).
• Internal mechanisms (the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service, standards bodies).

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1. Parliamentary Accountability

Key Mechanisms