A very interesting document, if only this government applied it (document downloaded November 2024). Quote from Page 1 below.
Restoring trust in politics is the great test of our era. The British people have lost faith in its ability to change their lives for the better. For a long time, they have looked at the conduct of politicians in Westminster and not seen the high standards of public service they expect or deserve. This Government was elected to change this. It is a crucial part of our wider mandate to return Britain to the service of working people. Because failure to meet those high standards will always weaken the bond of respect between a government and the people it must serve. A bond that, if strengthened, will accelerate our efforts to take Britain forward.
Every one of this Government’s national missions – growing our economy, delivering clean energy, securing our streets and borders, providing more opportunities for our children, getting our NHS fit to face the future – will be achieved more quickly if we do it in partnership with the British people. Therefore, restoring politics to public service is not a new mission or somehow separate from the business of change. Rather, service is a precondition for change.
This Code sets out the higher standards that the British people expect and that ministers must now follow. It enshrines the commitment we all make, on entering the service of this nation, to uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life. A document that is not just rules and guidance, but a statement of values. Namely, that public service is a privilege. For too long politicians have acted as if service was an entitlement. This Government of Service will turn the page on those years, show that politics can be a force for good, and return Britain to the service of working people.
Keir Starmer
