Downward Spiral: Collapsing Public Standards and How to Restore Them
John Bowers
List price £20.00
Product Details
- Format:
- Hardback
- ISBN:
- 9781526167491
- Published:
- 16 Apr 2024
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- Dimensions:
- 312 pages - 216 x 138 x 19mm
- Availability:
- Available
Categories:
The Johnson era will be remembered for a series of scandals that severely eroded trust in the British government. From questionable PPE tenders and public appointments to the ‘partygate’ fiasco, every aspect of public life seemed tainted. How did this downward spiral begin, and what can be done to reverse it? In this eye-opening book, veteran KC John Bowers presents a fearless examination of the decline in ethical standards before, during and after the Johnson government. He focuses on the institutions responsible for holding the government accountable, exposing how they have been bypassed by prime ministers determined to impose their agenda. Through interviews with political insiders, Bowers provides analysis of scandals such as partygate, Greensill and the revolving door with the private sector. He shines a light on a culture of favouritism, where standards are upheld based on little more than the assumption those in power can be trusted to behave. Rishi Sunak entered Number 10 on the promise of restoring integrity, but it is clear major problems remain. Confronting the failings of the current system, Downward spiral presents concrete proposals for creating an alternative that is more transparent and accountable. -- .
This book draws on the author's expertise as a KC and original interviews with political insiders to tell the story of declining ethical standards during the government of Boris Johnson and propose concrete reforms. -- .
Prologue Part I: Setting the scene 1 Introduction: falling standards (and masonry) 2 A basic history of standards in public life 3 Boris Johnson and the downward spiral Part II: The ethical regulators 4 The Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests: bullying, wallpaper, parties 5 The public appointments system and Commissioner for Public Appointments: unmerited jobs and cultural cleansing? 6 The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments: revolving doors and dogs with rubber teeth 7 Appointments to the House of Lords: ermined disgraces 8 Party funding and the Electoral Commission: how to get the party started 9 The Committee on Standards in Public Life and National Audit Office: two success stories 10 The Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists and the vast lobbying industry 11 The Civil Service Commission: a few issues of decline and a few insidious features Part III: Cross-cutting issues 12 MPs for hire: second jobs in the spotlight 13 Anatomy of a recent scandal: PPE 14 Greensill: 'no rules were broken' Part IV: Conclusion 15 Conventions, the rule of law and declining standards: what happens when good chaps do not behave 16 Conclusion: new timber to replace the rotten wood Appendix. Controversial public appointment cases (and two non-reappointment issues) Index -- .
John Bowers KC is Principal of Brasenose College, University of Oxford. He was called to the Bar in 1979 and took silk in 1998. Described as ‘an employment law rock star’, he is the author of fifteen books, including Bowers on Employment Law, The Law of Industrial Action and Trade Union Recognition and Whistleblowing. He is a former chair of Bar Disciplinary Summary Tribunals and a member of the Bar Council’s Race Relations Committee. Since 2005 he has been a Bencher of Middle Temple. -- .