How Honest Do Politicians Need to Be? |
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Authors: | SARAH BIRCH NICHOLAS ALLEN |
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Institution: | Reader in Politics at the University of Essex.;Lecturer in Politics at Royal Holloway, University of London. |
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Abstract: | This article reports findings from a recent survey of citizens' attitudes towards standards in British public life. It provides further evidence that people hold their political leaders to high standards, yet are often disappointed by the reality, and suggests that many citizens tend to blame the practice and institutions of politics for making politicians less honest and trustworthy than they would ideally like. The article argues that reforms to the political system are needed to regain the confidence of the population, but that the manner in which the most recent round of ethics reforms in the House of Commons were introduced may lower the prospects of their achieving this goal. |
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Keywords: | expenses scandal public opinion political ethics corruption |
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