UK tumbles in corruption index

THE slipped down a global corruption ranking, with watchdog Transparency International describing public trust as “worryingly low”after a string of political and public spending scandals.

The UK dropped seven places to rank 18th among 180 nations and territories on the Corruption Perceptions Index 2022, the biggest slide among Group of Seven countries on this year’s list. Among the steepest decliners was Qatar, which faced European bribery allegations and complaints about poor working conditions as hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It dropped nine spots to 40th place.

In Britain, scandals ranging from lobbying to ministerial misconduct “highlighted woeful inadequacies in the country’s political integrity systems,” the Berlin-based watchdog said. The closely watched index, a composite that draws from multiple surveys, has become a corruption benchmark used by analysts and investors. Denmark, Finland and New Zealand maintained their spots at the top of the list, while Somalia, Syria and South Sudan were at the bottom.

Published two days after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak fired his Conservative Party Chairman Nadhim Zahawi over his tax affairs, the 2022 report highlighted the growing list of problems. They include the appointment of politically connected people to public-sector roles during the pandemic and the awarding of lucrative contracts for protective equipment to Conservative loyalists.

The report also flagged a botched attempt by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government to overhaul standards to help Conservative parliamentarian Owen Paterson evade a November 2021 ethics probe. Allegations that haven’t yet been investigated further underline the problems with systems meant to protect integrity in public life, the report said.