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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Vocabulary

Hold them to account

Hi.

"'Prime ministers have corrupting patronage over the ­people meant to hold them to account." [From The Guardian.]

Who is meant to hold whom to account? Prime ministers the people or the other way round?

Thank you.
  

Top answer

"

— Clive

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5 Answers
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"'Prime ministers have corrupting patronage over the ­people who are meant to hold Prime Ministers to account."
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Thank you, Clive, for your useful reply.
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Clivehave ... patronage over
That sounds British to me. What does it mean to "have patronage over (someone)"? I'm not familiar with that expression. It seems that it could mean "to give (political) favors to (someone)". Is that the intended meaning?

CJ
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I took it to mean mainly 'patronage over jobs' in the sense of control of appointments to positions.
eg The Prime Minster appoints people who are then supposed to hold him/her to account. Perhaps like a government auditor, for example.

Clive
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Clivecontrol of appointments to positions
Ah! OK. I thought it was something like that.

Thanks.

CJ
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