Declining Standards: Has Britain Entered a ‘Post-Nolan Age’?
| Author | Sam Power |
| Published date | 01 June 2021 |
| Date | 01 June 2021 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/20419058211022931 |
8POLITICAL INSIGHT•JUNE 2021
In November 2020, Lord Jonathan
Evans, Chair of the Committee on
Standards in Public Life (CSPL),
delivered the Hugh Kay Lecture at
the Institute of Business Ethics. At the
time, a number of examples of political
impropriety had gained varying levels
of traction in the British press. There was
the so-called ‘Westferry Affair’, in which
Housing Minister Robert Jenrick, admitted
Declining Standards:
Has Britain Entered a
‘Post-Nolan Age'?
The Nolan Principles of Public Life were introduced in 1995 amid a
panic about ‘sleaze’ government. With recent scandals engulfing Boris
Johnson and his predecess or David Cameron, Sam Power argues that
the time has come to think again about standards in British politics.
‘apparent bias’ in overturning a planning
application in favour of Conservative
donor Richard Desmond; accusations that
the Towns Fund was used as little more
than an opportunity to offer up ‘pork’ to
Tory marginals; special advisor Dominic
Cummings’ jaunt to Barnard Castle; Priti
Patel’s bullying within the Home Office;
and concerns surrounding a British
‘chumocracy’ profiting from pandemic
procurement.
© Stefan Rousseau / Alamy Stock Photo
Political Insight June 2021 BU.indd 8Political Insight June 2021 BU.indd 812/05/2021 15:3312/05/2021 15:33
Get this document and AI-powered insights with a free trial of vLex and Vincent AI
Get Started for FreeStart Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
Start Your Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting