Latest news with #sleaze
Telegraph
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Ministers who breach sleaze rules won't get severance payments
Ministers who are sacked for breaching sleaze rules will no longer receive severance payments under government plans. At present, ministers who lose their jobs are entitled to three months' pay, which amounts to nearly £17,000 for a Cabinet minister. Pat McFadden, a Cabinet Office minister, announced on Monday morning that ministers guilty of a serious breach of the ministerial code would no longer receive the money. The payment will also not be given to those who served less than six months in the job. The move is part of an overhaul aimed at restoring trust in standards in public life, which will result in the launch of a new Ethics and Integrity Commission. The commission, created from the Committee on Standards in Public Life, will have a wider, stronger remit to oversee integrity across every part of the public sector. Ministers will also scrap the advisory committee on business appointments (Acoba) as part of the shake-up. Critics have said the watchdog, which assesses the jobs former ministers take after leaving government for conflicts of interest, is toothless and unable to enforce its rules properly. Under the changes, ministers who refuse to comply with its judgments and those of its successors will have to pay back any severance pay. Mr McFadden said: 'This overhaul will mean there are stronger rules, fewer quangos and clearer lines of accountability. 'The Committee on Standards in Public Life has played an important role in the past three decades. These changes give it a new mandate for the future. 'But whatever the institutional landscape, the public will in the end judge politicians and Government by how they do their jobs and how they fulfil the principles of public service.' Ministers are currently entitled to a severance payment equivalent to three months' salary when they leave office for any reason, and no matter how long they have been in the job. Under the changes being announced by the Government, ministers who return to office within three months of leaving will also not receive their salary until the end of that three-month period. The reforms are aimed at preventing situations like that under the Boris Johnson and Liz Truss governments, which saw some Conservative ministers who served for little more than a month receive payouts of thousands of pounds. Labour says £253,720 was paid out to 35 outgoing Tory ministers who were in post for less than six months during 2022, some of whom were in their jobs for 37 days. The new Ethics and Integrity Commission will report annually to the Prime Minister on the health of the standards system. It will be chaired by Doug Chalmers, a retired lieutenant general who chairs the current Standards Committee. The committee was set up in 1994 by Sir John Major, then prime minister, after his government was mired in accusations of 'sleaze' following a series of parliamentary scandals. Sir John warned in a recent speech that a small group of politicians were increasingly breaking the rules, and suggested Acoba needed to be reformed. Ministers have instead decided to scrap it and split its functions between the Civil Service Commission and the Prime Minister's Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards. Under reforms to the business appointments rules, former ministers found to have breached them by taking on inappropriate jobs will now be asked to repay any severance pay they receive.
Telegraph
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Starmer to unveil new sleaze watchdog
Sir Keir Starmer is poised to unveil his new sleaze watchdog in the coming days, The Telegraph can reveal. Plans are being made to announce the independent Ethics and Integrity Commission before MPs break for the summer on Tuesday. The commission will take over responsibilities for enforcing rules on lobbying for former government employees and overseeing wider standards in public life. It will also enforce the new legal 'duty of candour' for public officials which will be enacted in the Hillsborough law, which has been promised – but not yet published – by the Prime Minister. However, it is understood other bodies involved in political oversight, such as the parliamentary standards commissioner and the independent adviser on ministerial interests, will remain untouched. Labour pledge from 2021 It is unclear whether tougher new powers will be announced alongside the reorganisation, potentially opening up the plans to criticism that it is largely a rebadging of existing bodies. The commission was pledged by Labour in 2021 and was included in the party's manifesto at last summer's general election. It was used by Sir Keir and his front-benchers to argue it was time to draw a line under an era of Tory 'sleaze' seen in the latter years of the Conservative government. The Labour manifesto stated: 'Labour will restore confidence in government and ensure ministers are held to the highest standards. 'We will establish a new independent Ethics and Integrity Commission, with its own independent chair, to ensure probity in government.' But little has been said about the commission in public by ministers since July 2024, leading to speculation about the body's future. Insiders have described to The Telegraph how the new commission will operate, with its areas of responsibility now said to be finalised and awaiting announcement. The advisory committee on business appointments (Acoba), which gives advice to former ministers and senior officials about roles taken after leaving government to ensure no conflicts of interest on lobbying take place, will be folded into the commission. Acoba has long been criticised as 'toothless' since there is no obligation for those who seek advice to follow the guidance issued and it has no ability to issue punishments. Yet it is unclear if the commission will be given much stronger powers over lobbying than Acoba, even while it is taking over its responsibilities. A second body – the committee on standards in public life – is also expected to be incorporated into the new commission. That committee, which advises the Prime Minister on arrangements for upholding ethical standards of conduct across public life, was set up by Sir John Major in 1994. Sir John's premiership was hit by frequent headlines about Tory 'sleaze' before he lost the 1997 general election to Tony Blair. The 'duty of candour' the commission will oversee will be contained in the delayed Hillsborough law, which attempts to correct wrongs revealed in the Hillsborough stadium disaster of 1989. The duty of candour has been described as an ethical and legal requirement for public authorities and officials to act in the public interest with openness, honesty and transparency about their actions. Other bodies or roles involved in ethical oversight in politics, however, are expected to be largely unaffected by the new commission. These include the parliamentary standards commissioners, the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and the Electoral Commission. An announcement on the new commission is being prepared to be made before the end of Tuesday, given it is deemed politically wise to unveil plans while Parliament is sitting. 'Current system does not work' But the plan could yet be pushed back if more pressing government announcements or responses to breaking news are prioritised by Downing Street over the coming days. Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, had championed the commission when it was first promised by Labour. Ms Rayner said then: 'The current system does not work and it has failed. It only works where there is respect for the rules and there are consequences for breaking them. 'If you break the rules, there should be clear consequences. Our democracy cannot hinge on gentlemen's agreements; it needs independent and robust protection from Conservative corruption. 'Labour's independent integrity and ethics commission will stamp out Conservative corruption and restore trust in public office.' A government spokesman said: 'This is speculation. This government is committed to establishing the right structures to uphold the highest standards in public life. 'We have already taken steps to improve probity and transparency, including through introducing a new ministerial code which emphasises the principles of public life, by strengthening the terms of reference for the independent adviser, and by introducing a new monthly register of gifts and hospitality.'
Telegraph
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Rupert Lowe investigated over £600k raised for his rape gangs inquiry
Rupert Lowe is being investigated by the Parliamentary sleaze watchdog over money raised for an independent rape gang inquiry. More than £600,000 has been donated to a crowdfunder started by the former Reform MP in March to support a probe into gang-based sexual exploitation across the UK. The BBC said it understood the investigation was into the money raised for this fund. Mr Lowe, who has not yet declared any of the money in the register of members' interests, has been contacted for comment. A statement released on the Rape Gang Inquiry social media page said: 'All appropriate checks have been made for Rupert's parliamentary declaration.' The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards said they are investigating whether Mr Lowe breached parliamentary rules on declaring donations within the 28-days set out in the MPs' Code of Conduct. Under parliamentary rules, MPs must declare any donation from a single source over £1,500, or over £300 in earnings or gifts. Mr Lowe started the project before Sir Keir Starmer announced a government-backed national inquiry into grooming gangs last month. He has since said his investigation will continue regardless. The crowdfunder includes a statement that donors giving above the parliamentary limit will have their names published in the Commons register. Most of the £600,000 came in small sums – but records show over a dozen donations exceeded £1,500, none of which have appeared in Mr Lowe's register of financial interests. The BBC said it had seen bank statements that appear to show money from the crowdfunder was received by the Rape Gang Inquiry on June 23, which would need to be declared by July 21. In a statement the Rape Gang Inquiry said: 'The first donations were drawn from our Crowdfunder and arrived in the Rape Gang Inquiry bank account on June 23rd – Rupert had been funding the inquiry until then. 'All appropriate checks have been made for Rupert's parliamentary declaration. He has 28 days from the money arriving in the account, which was on June 23rd, until the submission has to be complete – although this has almost entirely been finished already. 'Once the inquiry is complete, spending will be published in the interests of full transparency.' Mr Lowe was elected as a Reform UK MP for Great Yarmouth last year, but was suspended by the party in March amid claims of threats towards the party's chairman, Zia Yusuf. In May, the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to press charges over threats he was alleged to have made. Mr Lowe later said he had been the victim of a 'political assassination attempt'. Not long after his suspension from Reform, Lowe set up his crowdfunder accusing ministers of failing victims and saying: 'Our gutless political class is too cowardly to even start to process what has truly happened.' Mr Lowe's Rape Gang Inquiry has set up a board, including Conservative MP Esther McVey. According to its social media page it has sent 'hundreds and hundreds of FOI requests to every local council, police force, NHS trust and more in order to uncover vital information relating to the rape gangs'. Mr Lowe has promised to stream hearings online and insisted his private investigation will continue to push for accountability.
The Independent
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Why is Labour's pick to be football regulator leading to cries of foul play?
L isa Nandy, secretary of state for culture, media and sport (DCMS), has decided to recuse herself from the final decision on the appointment of the first official football regulator, David Kogan, the government's preferred nominee. At a relatively late stage in proceedings, Kogan revealed in his confirmation hearing at the DCMS select committee that he had donated 'very small' amounts of money to both Keir Starmer and Nandy. This has led to allegations about a conflict of interest and, now, Nandy's unusual decision to stand aside from the decision-making process. Much more than the 'freebies scandal' in Labour's first days back in power, this is the most prominent case of anything like 'sleaze' or ' cronyism ' touching the Starmer administration. How did this happen? It's not entirely obvious. Had Kogan found a way to make his financial support for Starmer and Nandy clear at the earliest possible opportunity, then his embarrassment, and that of ministers, might have been avoided. Or perhaps Starmer and, more apposite, Nandy might have done so. Why didn't she? We don't know. Arguably, leaving it so late made it look like he had something to hide, but there's no reason to think that he's been given any special treatment by the Labour government. Indeed, Kogan was first 'tapped up' for the transfer by the Conservatives, who first proposed creating such a post. Who is David Kogan? He's well qualified to be the football regulator, to be fair. He's had a long career in the media, having worked for the likes of the BBC, Wasserman Media Group and Magnum Photos, and was later the chief media rights adviser to the Premier League between 1998 to 2015. He has also worked with the English Football League, the International Olympic Committee and the US National Football League. The select committee, despite their misgivings, saw fit to endorse his nomination. The committee chair, Caroline Dinenage, however, noted that: '[His] past donations to the Labour Party will inevitably leave him open to charges of political bias in a job where independence is paramount.' In response, Nandy delegated final approval of Kogan to Stephanie Peacock, a junior DCMS minister. How 'Labour' is Kogan? Very. As a young man, he was co-author of The Battle for the Labour Party (1982). The book, written alongside his uncle Maurice Kogan, is one of the best contemporary accounts of the party's traumas during the Thatcher ascendancy. He has made nine donations to the Labour Party, totalling some £33,000 since 2022, including a payment of £5,000 for Rachel Reeves's activities. He was also chair of LabourList until last month. What are the opposition parties doing about it? Making a small fuss. The Tory spokesperson, Louie French, says that it is a 'potential breach of the Governance Code on Public Appointments' that 'must urgently be investigated' and 'represents a clear discourtesy to both this House and the DCMS select committee'. What does it mean for Nandy? It's not ideal. A few months ago, she was rumoured to be up for the sack by Starmer for her performance, or else dropped if her sprawling department is dismantled in some future reshuffle. She's already been demoted by Starmer while in opposition; she was once shadow foreign secretary after finishing third in the 2020 leadership contest (also behind Rebecca Long-Bailey). Never on the hard left – she was Owen Smith's campaign manager for his futile bid to usurp then-leader Jeremy Corbyn in 2016 – the MP for Wigan has consistently acted as a bit of an advocate for the soft left/northern interests within the party. It's probably fair to conclude that she and her leader have gradually drifted away from one another. On the backbenches, she could easily become an informal leader of dissent and a bigger problem for the leadership than some in Downing Street seem to consider her now. Will Kogan get the job?
