The UK government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is overhauling standards in public life with the creation of a new independent Ethics and Integrity Commission.
The reforms will abolish the existing post-ministerial jobs watchdog (Acoba), introduce financial penalties for ministers who breach lobbying or conduct rules, and end severance pay for those who serve less than six months or are sacked for misconduct. These measures aim to close loopholes that allowed former ministers to profit from their government roles and restore public trust after years of controversy over 'golden goodbyes' and lobbying scandals. The changes are set to take effect in October and have been welcomed by transparency advocates, though some call for even stronger legal backing.
The move marks a significant tightening of accountability and ethics rules in Westminster.
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