Questions about politicians’ behaviour have been high on the political agenda here in the UK in recent months and years.
Boris Johnson’s premiership was dogged – and ultimately ended – by allegations that he was serially dishonest and tolerated bullying and other misconduct from his inner circle. Liz Truss sidelined independent sources of expertise and presided over catastrophic policy failure. And Rishi Sunak – though he entered Downing Street promising integrity, professionalism, and accountability – appointed a Home Secretary who only six days previously had left government for breaching the Ministerial Code, installed two other ministers against whom there are allegations of bullying, and (at the time of recording) yet to appoint an Ethics Adviser.
So how can we ensure high standards of behaviour from our politicians? Can we rely simply on political accountability, and the disciplining role of the ballot box? Or do advisers, regulators, and perhaps even judges need also to play a role?
This week our host Professor Alan Renwick is joined by two real experts:
Professor Robert Hazell, who founded the UCL Constitution Unit in 1995 and remained its Director until 2015.
Sir Peter Riddell, Honorary Professor in the UCL Department of Political Science, ex- Political Editor of the Financial Times and Chief Political Commentator at the Times, Director and Chief Executive of the Institute for Government between 2012 and 2016, and Commissioner for Public Appointments from 2016 until 2021.
Related reading:
UCL’s Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics, including international relations, political theory, human rights, public policy-making and administration. The Department is recognised for its world-class research and policy impact, ranking among the top departments in the UK on both the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and the latest Guardian rankings.
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Alexei Navalny and the Future of Russian Politics
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The Principles of Education Policy
Deciding Northern Ireland’s Future
Does the UK Still Have a Political Constitution?
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Biden’s First 100 Days
Ideas of Democracy
Global Climate Justice
The Prerogative Powers of Governments
Business Lobbying in the EU
Global Climate Governance
The Politics of Asylum
Care and Punishment
The Limits of Free Speech on Social Media
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