The United Kingdom has plummeted down the global corruption rankings after a report warned of “woeful shortcomings” in maintaining political integrity.
The UK fell seven points to 18th on Transparency International’s corruption perceptions ranking, the highest loss among G7 nations.
The study was issued two days after Rishi Sunak fired Nadhim Zahawi as chair of the Conservative party following discoveries about his financial problems, including the fact that he paid a penalty to HMRC.
Qatar, Russia, and Brazil were among the largest decliners on the list of 180 nations and territories used by analysts and investors as a global benchmark.
A series of political scandals involving the Conservative party have tarnished Britain’s credibility. In 2022, the country had three prime ministers, with Boris Johnson resigning following the Partygate incident and other controversies like the actions of Conservative MP Chris Pincher.
The report cited an “increasing list of concerns” in the United Kingdom. It mentioned Conservative peers like Michelle Mone receiving pricey safety equipment contracts. The pandemic also revealed the appointment of politically linked individuals to public sector positions.
UK falls in global corruption rating
Transparency International saw the government’s efforts to assist Owen Paterson in avoiding an ethics investigation in late 2021. However, the global anti-corruption organization stated that there have been “steps in the right direction”. Such as Sunak’s December appointment of a new ethics adviser.
If the government is truly serious about rebuilding faith in politics. “To stop the deterioration, it must reform how elected officials’ norms and behaviour are managed,” the paper noted.
Qatar, which was condemned for worker conditions before the World Cup, dropped nine spots to forty-first. Denmark, Finland, and New Zealand stayed atop the list, while Somalia, Syria, and South Sudan remained at the bottom.
Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2014, placed 137th, and the report stated that the lack of control of Vladimir Putin’s actions was due to a system of “kleptocrats” getting riches in exchange for devotion to him.
Transparency International said he “dismantled anti-corruption structures” and created “corrupt schemes” to get support.
Hungary replaced Bulgaria as the lowest-ranked EU member, dropping four positions to 77th.
