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UK Government Examples

Prime Minister's Questions

PMQs On The China Spy Trial As An Example Of Effective Scrutiny:

• On October 15th 2025, during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch used all 6 of her questions to challenge the government over its handling of the collapsed China spy case. 

  • The criminal trial against 2 civil servants accused of spying for China was dropped after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the Government had failed to provide sufficient evidence proving that China posed a national security threat to the UK. 

• The case placed National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell under intense scrutiny, and Badenoch pressed Starmer on his understanding of the law. 

  • In response, Starmer pledged to publish in full the witness statements that led to the trial’s collapse and insisted that no government ministers or special advisers were involved in the case. 

• This demonstrates the efficacy of PMQ’s as a method of holding the government to account. It enables the Leader of the Opposition to directly question the Prime Minister, follow up on their questions, and expose government failure, thereby demonstrating how they could govern more effectively. 

  • The government is also forced to address concerns of the public, and reinforces the Prime Minister’s accountability to Parliament.

US Politics & Government Examples

Congress' Representative Function

Marjorie Taylor Greene Criticises The Republican Party As An Example Of Representation In Congress:

• During the ongoing 2025 government shutdown, Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene broke ranks with her party by supporting Democrats’ demands to renew Affordable Care Act tax credits. 

  • Despite being one of the most hardline and loyal MAGA Republicans, she has increasingly broken with GOP leadership and the party line on several key issues.

• She justified her stance by citing the concerns of her constituents, warning that healthcare premiums in her district would double. Greene criticised both Trump and her party for ignoring the unaffordability of everyday life for Americans. 

  • Further, in October 2025, she stated she would not “toe the party line or play loyalty games”, showing a willingness to compromise with Democrats over healthcare insurance costs.

• This highlights the strong influence of constituency opinion on voting behaviour in Congress, particularly for House members who face re-election every 2 years. 

  • Greene’s actions show how local needs often take precedence over national party loyalty. Although partisanship has increased in Congress, members still prioritise the views of their constituents to maintain electoral support. 

• Unlike the UK House of Commons, parties in Congress are less unified and voting against the party line is more common. As a result, Congress can be seen as highly effective in representing the electorate, as members place a lot of emphasis on defending the specific interests of their district/state.

Imperial Presidency

The Indictment Of James Comey As An Example Of Weaponisation Of The Justice System:

• In August 2025, the US Department of Justice charged former FBI Director James Comey with making false statements to Congress in his 2020 testimony on the FBI’s investigation into Russian election interference. 

  • The indictment came just days after President Donald Trump publicly called on his Attorney General to take aggressive action against his political opponents, including Comey. 

    • Comey had previously been fired by Trump for leading the investigation into Russian interference and possible links between Moscow and Trump’s 2016 Presidential Election campaign. 

• The timing of the indictment days after Trump’s attack has led critics to accuse Trump of weaponising the Justice Department for his own purposes, removing the political independence that the agency is traditionally meant to uphold. 

  • Whilst Presidential influence over the judicial system is meant to be limited, Trump’s direct involvement in pushing for the prosecution of a political rival suggests an expansion of executive power which undermines Constitutional limits.

• This highlights the weakening of Judicial Independence in the US due to Presidential overreach, and supports the Imperial Presidency Theory, where the executive operates with minimal legislative or judicial oversight and is able to overstep its intended role, disrupting the balance of power.

Congress' Oversight Function

Pam Bondi Questioned By The Senate Judiciary Committee As An Example Of Oversight:

• On the 7th of October 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to face questions about her role in several major Department of Justice controversies. 

  • Senators focused on her involvement in the indictment of James Comey, which followed a direct call from Donald Trump, arguing Bondi acted under political pressure rather than independent legal judgement. 

    • Democrats also questioned whether she had used her position to target Trump’s political opponents.

• This shows the strengths of Congress's oversight function, as Senators exercised their power to hold the executive branch accountable. Congressional committees play a key role in the oversight of the executive, as they have the power to summon officials, hold hearings and question personnel about their actions and events. 

  • Senators were able to raise pressing concerns about the legality of deploying National Guard troops across state lines without local approval. 

• However, Bondi also refused to answer questions and stuck to the party line, launching personal attacks on Senators who questioned her. 

  • She frequently declined to comment on questions from both Democrats and Republicans, including the Comey indictment, the Epstein Files, her approval of a $400M gift from Qatar, and the legality of military strikes against civilians in international waters.

• This highlights the limits of Congressional oversight. Even with extensive powers, committees can struggle to secure meaningful scrutiny, especially when the political environment is extremely partisan, as tensions between the President and Congress often obstruct cooperation and accountability.