Who is accountable when things go wrong in government? - BBC Newsnight

The Department for Education’s permanent secretary, Jonathan Slater, has been sacked after the exams row, as the PM Boris Johnson calls for ‘fresh leadership’. Subscribe to our channel here: goo.gl/31Q53F
The chief civil servant at the Department for Education has been sacked following the row over A-level and GCSE results in England.
Jonathan Slater was due to stand down in 2021, but will now leave the department on 1 September 2020.
Boris Johnson said “there is a need for fresh official leadership”, but the civil service union said there is now a fear civil servants will be thrown under the bus to shield ministers from accountability.
The news comes a day after the head of exam regulator Ofqual, Sally Collier, also resigned from her role. The Education Secretary Gavin Williamson remains in post.
How will Jonathan Slater's sacking affect the relationship between the civil service and the government?
And who is accountable when things go wrong in government, the minister or the official?
Policy Editor Lewis Goodall reports and Katie Razzall is joined Dave Penman, General Secretary of the FDA union, the union for the civil service.
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[@Emtech00]

Q. Who is to blame for problems in the government? A. Certainly not the government.

[@krazytroutcatcher]

It’s a pretender Government, owned by the British Crown Corporation, and the illegitimate laws implemented by the United Kingdom Corporation. The shareholders are responsible, and should pay by having criminal charges brought up against them. Why do we tolerate a never ending stream of lies from elitist sociopaths?

[@officialOriginalR]

So true

[@garyh1572]

the first gentle steps to fascism.

[@Semper_Iratus]

The taxpayer who foots the bill.

[@henridobbs2423]

The vast majority of taxpayers are first to complain but last to throw their hats into fix the system.

[@Aldo_Regozzani]

On the Highway to becoming a failed state.

[@terrymoore861]

THEY ARE ALL USELESS!

[@decoyfox]

Gav gets an D- downgraded to U

[@martycrow]

They can't afford to lose Williamson now. It will cause too many ripples. Keeping Williamson on has the potential of turning him into a fiercely loyal attack dog. The Cummins option!

[@lavienestpasunlongfleuvetr2559]

He doesn't have enough wit to be useful though.

[@hosephanerothe1440]

Scapegoat

[@presidentelectzigenpuss3570]

Just here to downvote the bbc

[@blackbritish309]

TOTAL BOLLOCKS.

[@johnathanpearson3203]

I can tell you who's not accountable. The BBC and newsnight. Why are the BBC still spending thousands of pounds a day paying for free coffee for people earning 100k. Voted this down 😎👍 #defundthebbc

[@gilesmorgan9660]

🇷🇺

[@johnathanpearson3203]

@@gilesmorgan9660 🤖🇷🇺🤖