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UK Politics Examples

The Media

The BBC’s Panorama Edit As An Example Of The Politicisation In The UK Media:

• On Saturday the 9th of November 2025, Director General of the BBC Tim Davie resigned following accusations of political bias. 

  • Concerns about the BBC’s impartiality emerged after a Panorama documentary edited a speech by US President Donald Trump which critics argued was misleading and deceptive. 

    • The edit omitted a crucial segment where Trump urged his supporters to demonstrate peacefully, making it appear that Trump had encouraged the US Capitol attack.  

• Traditionally, broadcast media in the UK are bound by Ofcom’s stringent impartiality rules, which aim to ensure balanced coverage. Under its Charter, the BBC is committed to ‘due impartiality’ in all its output, without being influenced by any personal, institutional or political agendas in what it chooses to broadcast. 

  • This controversy raises concerns about the politicisation of UK broadcast media. A healthy democracy relies on voters having accurate and impartial information. 

    • If the BBC appears biased, it risks spreading misinformation and eroding public trust in the media as an independent institution.

US Politics and Government Examples

Partisanship and Congress' Legislative Function

The Longest US Government Shutdown In History As An Example Of Public Pressure And Gridlock:

• On the 12th of November, US President Donald Trump signed legislation ending the longest government shutdown in US history, which lasted 43 days. The shutdown ended after the House passed a spending bill in a 222-209 vote, with 6 Democrats joining Republicans. 

  • The final ‘continuing resolution’ funds the government until January, and was negotiated by Republicans and 8 Democratic Senators. 

    • Crucially, it excluded expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits that Democrats demanded must be extended in any funding deal.

    • The President and GOP leaders in Congress refused to negotiate on extending ACA insurance subsidies, ultimately forcing Democrats to accept the original Republican terms. 

• During the shutdown, 700,000 federal workers were furloughed, and the White House suspended payments under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 

  • Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, used the shutdown to order further layoffs and cut the federal workforce. 

  • This shows how intense partisanship in Congress leads to legislative gridlock. Both parties refused to compromise, and Senate Democrats used the filibuster to block the Republican-led budget. 

    • Without bipartisan support, the funding bill could not advance, leading to the longest government shutdown in history and showing how partisanship is a key barrier to the passage of legislation and funding in Congress.

• This also highlights the influence of public opinion on Congress. Democrats failed to secure their core demands, and because funding legislation must be approved by both chambers, the President cannot unilaterally end a shutdown. 

  • Instead, Trump relied on the ‘bully pulpit’ to appeal directly to the public and blame Democrats through national speeches, press conferences, and social media, generating public pressure. 

    • Pressure from voters forced some Democrats back to negotiations with GOP leaders, ultimately voting for the bill after Senate Majority Leader John Thune promised to hold a future vote on the ACA tax credits.

Congress' Oversight Function

The Discharge Petition On The Epstein Files As An Example Of Congress's Oversight Function:

• On the 12th of November 2025, a discharge petition in the US House of Representatives to compel a vote on requiring the Justice Department to release all files related to Jeffrey Epstein reached 218 signatures.

  • A discharge petition is a critical procedural mechanism the House can use; if it gains the support of a majority of House members, it forces a vote on the issue regardless of whether party leadership supports it. 

    • This empowers individual legislators and illustrates the independence of Representatives, who often break with the party and respond to public opinion in the constituency.  

• The petition received bipartisan support from 4 House Republicans, including Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. 

  • The Epstein Files Transparency Act was introduced amid growing public pressure on the Trump administration to disclose additional Epstein-related files. 

• This illustrates Congress’ central oversight function. By advancing the measure through a discharge petition, members forced the Justice Department to release information despite President Donald Trump urging GOP leaders to block the vote. 

  • The Justice Department has refused to cooperate with the House Oversight Committee investigation into Trump’s relationship with Epstein, refusing to release the files in full. 

    • The use of a discharge petition therefore highlights how Congress can act independently of the executive branch, even when they are controlled by the same party, and force accountability when the administration seeks to avoid scrutiny.