Former Prime Minister John Major has delivered a strong warning to Keir Starmer as worries about the state of British democracy mount: act quickly to reset public expectations or risk losing the faith of the country forever. Speaking at an event commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Nolan principles, a set of fundamental ethical guidelines adopted during Major’s tenure in office, he exhorted the current government to go beyond mere lip service toward reform. He demanded concrete steps to preserve political integrity, a value he feels has been gradually undermined in recent times.

Early 1990s scandals brought the Nolan values—selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership—into the scene. For people engaged in public life, they were supposed to be a moral compass. Major now, however, feels these principles are insufficient without systems of accountability for offenders.

“Our previous approach has been to provide direction on moral behavior and hope for adherence. Nolan followed that. Experience has, nevertheless, shown us that no laws can prevent people ready to ignore them. Sometimes, Major advised the Institute for Government audience, punishments are required.

Are loopholes eroding political integrity in the United Kingdom?

Major’s worry is not only intellectual. Political scandals involving the UK during the past ten years have rocked public trust in government. These cover dubious political donations and peerage nominations as well as instances of bullying, sexual misbehavior, and even official power breaches of lockdown policies. Often greeted with little punishment, these repeated transgressions have begged major questions regarding whether political integrity still has any actual worth in Westminster.

“The misconduct of a tiny minority has driven trust to dangerously low levels,” Major remarked. “That being so, it is time to fortify the protections around propriety, to ensure our public life is as free from fault as we wish it to be.” One of his main worries was that unethical individuals had space to operate because of the ongoing dependence on tradition rather than clear, enforceable standards. “To rely on convention leaves loopholes for those with lax scruples,” he said, stressing the immediate need for enforced rules that can sustain political integrity over the long term.

With what steps may political integrity be strengthened?

Major described five ideas he thinks will greatly improve the capacity of the system to preserve political integrity. He proposed that the House of Lords advising commission should not only assess the propriety of political peerages but also their fitness, to guarantee nominations are based on merit rather than political loyalty. This would help rebuild public confidence in the honours system.

In addition, he argued that the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) must be provided with statutory authority to enforce fines. Currently, ACOBA can only offer advice to former ministers and civil servants taking up private sector employment — advice that can be, and frequently is, ignored. By giving the committee the capacity to enforce lobbying bans and sanction infractions, the revolving door between government and commercial interests may be more effectively managed.

Major also underlined the need for the government to react quickly to the recommendations of the Committee on Standards in Public Life. Such suggestions are sometimes delayed or disregarded too often, which he claimed compromises the whole system of responsibility. Any claims of political honesty remain hollow without a quick response.

Major also voiced worries about the impact of big political contributions, especially from rich overseas donors. Setting a restriction on individual donations, he said, would help prevent too much influence and advance a fairer playing field in British politics. The independence of the Electoral Commission was the last area he noted needing change. Originally regarded as an impartial and autonomous entity, the commission’s reputation has declined recently. Major says repairing trust and maintaining democratic fairness depend on regaining autonomy. Read another article on Local Elections Shape UK Politics

Is Starmer still giving the proposed ethics commission priority?

The Labour Party’s 2024 manifesto unequivocally committed itself to establishing a new independent ethics and integrity commission. The commission intended to have a chair with its power to probe government misbehavior. Still, there hasn’t been much outward advancement, even a year into the new regime. This begs questions about whether the promise will be kept.

Major agreed on the original promise but advised that strengthening current systems like the Nolan framework might be more successful than establishing new organizations. “My extremely friendly advice to the Prime Minister would be to stiffen Nolan and leave the ethics proposal where it is,” he said. “Concerns about propriety are well made, but I see no need to reinvent the wheel.”

Some government sources claim that behind the scenes, continuous work on the ethics commission is underway. They contend, however, that public interests are more in results than in procedures. Stated differently, voters want to see that standards are maintained and misbehavior penalized regardless of the body in charge.

What steps has Shas Star taken to uphold political integrity?

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has, to his credit, already shown a readiness to enforce moral guidelines under the existing system. Two ministers have been taken from their positions for not upholding the accepted standards of behavior, therefore indicating a marked change from the previous government, which was frequently accused of allowing offenders to go unpunished.

Critics counter that isolated cases of responsibility are insufficient. They argue that future misbehavior will keep slipping through the gaps without systematic transformation. Restoring political integrity will probably call for structural changes rather than only personal ones.

Public administration committee members of Parliament and the House of Commons have also noticed and started investigating to force the government to address the situation of its ethical obligations. Public expectations are very high, particularly in view of recent events, and many voters are calling for a clear, consistent approach to rebuild ethical government.

Can enhancing the Nolan Principles guarantee political integrity?

For John Major, the solution is in revitalizing the ideas already in place rather than in building more bureaucratic layers. According to him, the Nolan system still provides the best path for long-lasting change if revised and implemented. He ended his remarks regretting the UK’s drop in ethical government standing internationally.

“Once Britain had a well-regarded reputation for being free of malpractice and corruption. He expressed concern for the creeping degradation of that reputation, which we would have formerly considered to be unbreakable. “We have to turn around this trend before the damage gets beyond repair.”

Major made a simple point: we already have the means to rebuild political integrity. Strong leadership combined with a dedication to enforcement will enable the UK to once more set the benchmark for moral government worldwide.