Labour Launches Tough New Ethics Watchdog and Cracks Down on Ministerial 'Golden Goodbyes'

The UK government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is overhauling standards in public life by launching a new independent Ethics and Integrity Commission.

This body will replace the much-criticized Acoba watchdog and introduce stricter rules, including financial penalties for ministers who breach post-office job rules and the loss of severance pay for those sacked over misconduct or who serve less than six months. The reforms aim to close loopholes, restore public trust, and ensure greater accountability for politicians. The move fulfills a key Labour manifesto promise and responds to widespread criticism of previous lax oversight and costly payouts.

While welcomed by transparency advocates, some argue even stronger, legally backed rules are still needed.