UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Former PM John Major says Keir Starmer must act on political misconduct, urging tougher enforcement of standards to restore trust in public life.
As reported by The Guardian, John Major has urged the UK prime minister to restore public standards and introduce firm penalties before trust is lost for good.
What did John Major say about strengthening ethics in politics?
The ex-prime minister said ethics commission proposals appeared to be “in the long grass.” He urged Downing Street to reinforce the Nolan standards and ensure consequences for misconduct.
Addressing the 30th anniversary of the Nolan principles he established, Mr Major defended their continued relevance. But he argued the framework needs tougher implementation.
As Number 10 reconsiders its pledge to create a new ethics commission, the former PM urged immediate action to improve oversight and enforcement.
He said,
“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.”
Mr Major stated,
“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 warned that misconduct by a political minority has seriously damaged public trust. Mr Major cited concerns such as dodgy donations, honours scandals, lobbying, and governments protecting allies while bending the law.
Speaking at the event, he said,
“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,” adding, “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.”
The ex-PM argued that Britain was once admired for its lack of corruption, stating,
“I regret the slow erosion of that reputation which we would once have thought indestructible. It is time for us to reverse this trend before the damage becomes beyond salvage.”
How is Number 10 falling short on ethics reform?
Downing Street has come under pressure for not delivering on its promise to set up an ethics watchdog. Critics say the delay undermines trust in government standards.
The House of Commons public administration committee announced this month that it will launch an inquiry into the government’s failure to act on its ethics pledges.
Keir Starmer had included in his manifesto that Labour would
“establish a new independent ethics and integrity commission, with its own independent chair, to ensure probity in government.”
The party pledged to “restore confidence in government and ensure ministers are held to the highest standards” and committed to enforcing lobbying restrictions with real penalties for breaches.
Officials said work on the ethics commission is in progress. They argued that voters are more focused on firm action against misconduct than on establishing new institutions.
John Major’s recommendations for government
- Stricter peerage scrutiny – The House of Lords commission should assess both the propriety and suitability of political appointees.
- Stronger lobbying rules – Empower the Business Appointments Committee with legal authority to penalise ex-officials who violate lobbying bans.
- Faster government response – Require prompt action on ethics recommendations from the Standards in Public Life Committee.
- Donation safeguards – Block foreign influence by capping large donations and tightening funding rules.
- Independent electoral commission – Restore its autonomy, removing government influence over its operations.
Key facts about John Major
- UK Prime Minister from 1990 to 1997; won the 1992 election with a record 14.1M votes but only a 21-seat majority
- Led the longest stretch of economic growth (1992–97) despite the Black Wednesday crisis costing £ 3.3 B.
- Replaced Poll Tax with Council Tax in 1993; launched the Citizen’s Charter to boost public service standards.
- Key figure behind the 1993 Downing Street Declaration, which helped lead to the Good Friday Agreement.