Tuesday, May 31, 2022
No longer any need for integrity, accountability, and honesty?
It is a bit galling to get back from a weekend at the Hay Festival to find that the whole basis of serving the public has been turned upside down, even more so when the changes are self-serving and being brought in by a Prime Minister, who never really embraced the Nolan primciples in the first place.
As the Independent reports, the PM has rewritten the Ministerial Code of Conduct to avoid having to resign if the inquiry by the Commons privileges committee into whether he lied to parliament over lockdown-breaching parties at 10 Downing Street rules against him.
As the Independent reports, the PM has rewritten the Ministerial Code of Conduct to avoid having to resign if the inquiry by the Commons privileges committee into whether he lied to parliament over lockdown-breaching parties at 10 Downing Street rules against him.
In doing so he has removed previous references to the principles of “integrity, objectivity, accountability, transparency, honesty and leadership” which should guide ministers’ conduct.
So much for the Prime Minister's pledge to address the scandal and sleaze engulfing his government or the frequent and flagrant breaches of standards and rule-breaking that have taken place on his watch.
As ever, these changes, brought in to fix the crisis facing the Johnson government, will have long-term consequences.
So much for the Prime Minister's pledge to address the scandal and sleaze engulfing his government or the frequent and flagrant breaches of standards and rule-breaking that have taken place on his watch.
As ever, these changes, brought in to fix the crisis facing the Johnson government, will have long-term consequences.
The Nolan Principles have been a staple of public life for thirty years. They have set the standard by which elected officials are measured. What are the consequences of this change for the thousands of councillors, MPs, MLAs, MSs and MSPs, who have largely obeyed the rules all these years? Has Johnson opened the door to a watering down of their standards code as well?
In truth, the Prime Minister and cabinet members in all administrations have always been slightly above the reach of this code, with the power to avoid inquiries if sanctioned at the very top. But these changes will do nothing to reinforce confidence in politicians, already badly damaged by the Partygate scandal in 10 Downing Street.
In truth, the Prime Minister and cabinet members in all administrations have always been slightly above the reach of this code, with the power to avoid inquiries if sanctioned at the very top. But these changes will do nothing to reinforce confidence in politicians, already badly damaged by the Partygate scandal in 10 Downing Street.
