Former prime minister urges Labour PM to introduce proper sanctions amid concerns over promised ethics commission
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Keir Starmer needs to reset standards in public life and bring in proper sanctions before trust in the UK system is damaged beyond salvage, John Major has said.
The former Conservative prime minister said proposals for an ethics commission appeared to be “in the long grass” but No 10 could strengthen the Nolan principles of public life and make sure there was punishment for misconduct within the standards framework.
In a speech to mark the 30th anniversary of the Nolan principles of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership, which Major brought in as prime minister, he said the system was still a good one but needed to be more enforceable.
