Public Law – Lecture [05-12-19]
Political Accountability
Key elements of accountability:
- Those who govern must explain and justify actions
- Those who are governed can challenge and criticise such conduct
- Law allows for an interactive relationship between those that govern and those who
are governed.
Legal accountability tests the legality of official action whereas political accountability tests
the responsibility for official action and whether officials have acted in a good enough
fashion.
Key concepts:
o Ministerial responsibility
o Mechanisms of Parliamentary Accountability (briefly covered)
o Freedom of Information (briefly covered)
Ministerial Responsibility
Recent Ministerial Resignations over
The Nature of ministerial responsibility is very significant in May Cabinet:
parliamentary democracy, especially in no legal, conventional
- Dominic Raab – Brexit
rules with the increasingly written ministerial code.
- Esther McVey - Brexit
Ministerial responsibility is non-legal but is still binding by - Jo Johnson – Brexit
convention. The rules are generally enforced via political - Suella Braverman - Brexit
- Shailesh Vara – Brexit
pressure but the consequences of a breach are not uniform
- Phillip Lee- Brexit
and are largely up to the discretion of the current prime
- Greg Hands – Heathrow
minister. Ministers are also subject to the law in a private
- Tracey Crouch – U-Turn
sense as is any other citizen.
Johnson Cabinet:
The Ministerial Code is written by the PM and sets out the
standard of conduct expected of ministers and gives guidance - Rudd - Brexit
on how to discharge duties. - Jo Johnson – Brexit
- Alun Cairns – Lying over rape
trial sabotage
Political Accountability
Key elements of accountability:
- Those who govern must explain and justify actions
- Those who are governed can challenge and criticise such conduct
- Law allows for an interactive relationship between those that govern and those who
are governed.
Legal accountability tests the legality of official action whereas political accountability tests
the responsibility for official action and whether officials have acted in a good enough
fashion.
Key concepts:
o Ministerial responsibility
o Mechanisms of Parliamentary Accountability (briefly covered)
o Freedom of Information (briefly covered)
Ministerial Responsibility
Recent Ministerial Resignations over
The Nature of ministerial responsibility is very significant in May Cabinet:
parliamentary democracy, especially in no legal, conventional
- Dominic Raab – Brexit
rules with the increasingly written ministerial code.
- Esther McVey - Brexit
Ministerial responsibility is non-legal but is still binding by - Jo Johnson – Brexit
convention. The rules are generally enforced via political - Suella Braverman - Brexit
- Shailesh Vara – Brexit
pressure but the consequences of a breach are not uniform
- Phillip Lee- Brexit
and are largely up to the discretion of the current prime
- Greg Hands – Heathrow
minister. Ministers are also subject to the law in a private
- Tracey Crouch – U-Turn
sense as is any other citizen.
Johnson Cabinet:
The Ministerial Code is written by the PM and sets out the
standard of conduct expected of ministers and gives guidance - Rudd - Brexit
on how to discharge duties. - Jo Johnson – Brexit
- Alun Cairns – Lying over rape
trial sabotage
