Times letters: Rebuilding public trust in politicians

Sir, When the prime minister took office, he committed his government to a “politics of service”. In fact the government has confronted four months of ethical and governance issues. With the budget now complete, the prime minister must implement Labour’s pledge to strengthen the UK’s ethical landscape. A good basis is the seven-point plan our organisations proposed before the election: publication and independent enforcement of a more effective ministerial code; new systems for managing conflicts of interest and lobbying; better regulation of post-government employment; appointments to the Lords made after an independent assessment of merit and contribution; rigorous and transparent future public appointments; and strengthened independence of the honours system, including by ending prime ministerial patronage. Many of these can be introduced immediately, though legislation would help to embed the independence of the system. Action is needed, not just words, to rebuild trust in politics, and it is needed now.

Dr Hannah White, director, Institute for Government; Professor Meg Russell, director, Constitution Unit, UCL; Dominic Grieve, chairman, UK Governance Project; Sir Peter Riddell, honorary professor, Constitution Unit, UCL.