To borrow a line from an old pop song, let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London. A timely walk as Britain approaches 2026 and finds itself once again confronted by questions of accountability and national purpose.

And allow me to pause at four great British institutions: the British Museum, the BBC, the monarchy and the security services. Each is a national icon, each admired far beyond Britain’s shores. Their histories differ, yet they share a single flaw that has shaped Britain’s past and now clouds its future: a persistent, deeply rooted lack of accountability.