New Anti-Corruption Body Established in the UK

The Commission will operate as an advisory, non-departmental body within the Cabinet Office and will report directly to the Prime Minister.

This new structure will replace the Committee on Standards in Public Life and will be responsible for overseeing compliance with ethical standards set for public officials and public sector employees (the Seven Principles of Public Life, also known as the Nolan Principles). These standards apply, in particular, to:

ministers, civil servants, and special advisers, as well as individuals holding positions within central government who are not ministers;
members of Parliament and peers sitting in the House of Lords;
officials of all public bodies and other entities performing public functions;
elected officials of local authorities;
private and voluntary organizations involved in delivering public services under government contracts or funded by public money.

The Commission’s responsibilities will include, in particular:

conducting research and thematic reviews, and preparing recommendations for improving existing mechanisms to ensure compliance with standards;
analyzing current issues and preparing an annual report for the Prime Minister on the state of ethical standards;
providing advice to government bodies on the development of codes of ethics;
informing the public about the values, rules, and oversight mechanisms governing standards in public life;
holding meetings of ethics and standards bodies in central government (and Parliamentary bodies, with their consent) to exchange best practices and identify or address issues of common concern.

At the same time, the Commission is not a regulatory body and will not have the authority to investigate specific cases of misconduct.

The Commission will consist of 10 members: an independent Chair, six independent members (three of whom have already been appointed), and political members nominated by the leaders of the three largest political parties (currently four members; this number will be reduced to three in June 2026).

The establishment of the Commission represents another step toward fulfilling the Labour Party’s commitment to “restore trust in politics”.

Previously, the UK government had already introduced an updated Ministerial Code, expanded the powers of the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, and created a new Register of Ministers’ Gifts and Hospitality.

Alongside the creation of the Ethics and Integrity Commission, the Cabinet has also announced changes regarding:
• the rules for ministerial severance payments, linking them to the duration of service and potential breaches of the Ministerial Code;
• the process of ministers moving into the private sector after leaving office - specifically, applications from senior civil servants will now be handled by the Civil Service Commission, while those from ministers will be reviewed by the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests. The previously existing Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) will be abolished.