WE can't hold politician's 'feet to the fire' Carol, as once they're in, we have no way of removing them.
At least in the US you can impeach a President, but he/she needs to step so far over the line for that to happen, so they're there for the duration.
UK is worse in a way as the PM is at the head of a majority political party, all of whom have their noses in the trough. Once a PM's in they're in, as far as we the electorate are concerned.

XG