Keir Starmer needs to reset standards in public life and bring in proper sanctions before trust in the UK system is damaged beyond salvage, John Major has said.
The former Conservative prime minister said proposals for an ethics commission appeared to be “in the long grass” but No 10 could strengthen theNolan principlesof public life and make sure there was punishment for misconduct within the standards framework.
In a speech to mark the 30th anniversary of the Nolan principles of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership, which Major brought in as prime minister, he said the system was still a good one but needed to be more enforceable.
With No 10 rethinking the idea of setting up a new ethics commission, as promised in theLabourmanifesto, Major said it was time for action to improve the system.
“It has been our past practice to offer guidance on good conduct, and trust it will be delivered. That was the Nolan approach. But experience has taught us that no rules can deal with individuals prepared to ignore them, and sometimes sanctions are required.
“The problem is that to rely on convention leaves loopholes for those with lax scruples. That being so, it is time to strengthen the safeguards around propriety, to ensure our public life is as free from fault as we wish it to be.”
He said the misconduct of a small minority of politicians has left trust at too low a level, citing scandals in political funding, the award of honours, lobbying, “unsavoury” behaviour, bullying and Partygate, as well as whole governments breaking or bending the law and shielding their own colleagues from censure.
His suggestions for improvement include:
Asking the House of Lords advisory commission to scrutinise the suitability of political peerages as well as their propriety.
Giving statutory powers to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments so they can impose sanctions on former politicians and officials who flout time-limited lobbying bans.
Ensuring the government responds swiftly to recommendations from the committee on standards in public life.
New protections to prevent wealthy foreign interests influencing politics through mega donations. A cap on individual contributions is under consideration.
Returning the electoral commission to being an independent body free of government guidance.
Major said he hoped Starmer would strengthen the system against abuse. “With a few tweaks, the Nolan system can become an even more formidable protection against bad behaviour,” he told an audience at the Institute for Government. “I know our present government promised a new ethics commission but, so far, this seems to be stuck in the long grass.
“Concerns about propriety are well made but I see no need to reinvent the wheel. My very friendly advice to the prime minister would be to stiffen up Nolan, and leave the ethics proposal where it is.”
Major said Britain previously had a widely envied reputation for being free of corruption and bad practice. “I regret the slow erosion of that reputation which we would once have thought indestructible,” he said. “It is time for us to reverse this trend before the damage becomes beyond salvage.”
No 10 has come under scrutiny over its failure to bring in a new ethics watchdog almost a year after the election.
This month, the House of Commons public administration committee said it was launching an inquiry to push the government on what has happened to its ethics commitments.
It was one of Starmer’s main manifesto pledges that the Labour government would “establish a new independent ethics and integrity commission, with its own independent chair, to ensure probity in government”.
The party promised to “restore confidence in government and ensure ministers are held to the highest standards”, and to enforce restrictions on ministers lobbying for companies they used to regulate, with meaningful sanctions for those breaching the rules.
Government sources said work was continuing on the ethics and integrity commission, but suggested that voters cared more about tough outcomes in relation to misconduct than about the process of setting up new bodies.
Insiders also pointed to the fact that Starmer had pushed out two ministers who failed to uphold high enough standards under the current rules.