Mr Harris, who has been head of education at Newport for the last two years, will be answerable to the two councils which will share the cost of his salary.

BBC: Education chief shared by Newport and Blaenau Gwent

The best that can be hoped for is that shareholders, rating agencies and the media will increase the pressure for boards to be more transparent, and thereby more answerable to their shareholders.

ECONOMIST: Corporate governance in Germany

There is strong support in Westminster for many of the lord chancellor's duties to be transferred to an elected minister answerable to MPs.

BBC: Lord Irvine: A 'blunder' too far?

In Italy the church still enjoys a sort of immunity, for cultural reasons, but Italians will surely one day insist that their religion should be answerable to the law of the land.

ECONOMIST: The church and the law