core sector communique

UK NEEDS ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CORRUPTION

Transparency International’s 2009 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), launched today, reveals that the UK is struggling to recover from last year’s all-time-low score.

London, 17 November 2009

Transparency International’s 2009 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), launched today, reveals that the UK is struggling to recover from last year’s all-time-low score.

The CPI ranks 180 countries - including the UK – according to the perceived levels of corruption among public officials and politicians, as assessed by international experts and institutions. It scores countries on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is perceived to be highly corrupt and 10 indicates low levels of corruption.

The 2009 CPI scores the UK at 7.7 – the same as last year’s all-time low – and ranks it 17th out of 180, against 16th in 2008. Before 2008 the UK CPI score never fell below 8.

Transparency International UK is concerned that the UK’s CPI score has deteriorated in recent years. This reflects the damage to its international standing caused by the MPs’ expenses scandal and the weakness of its efforts to prosecute foreign bribery.

Today Transparency International UK issues an Agenda for Action to restore the country’s international reputation as a global leader in the fight against corruption. It includes measures directed at MPs, Peers, Ministers, Crown servants, anti-bribery legislation, resources for law enforcement, the private sector and overseas aid.

Transparency International UK calls on the major political parties to commit to fight corruption in the public and private sectors by adopting this Agenda within their election manifestos.

Chandrashekhar Krishnan, Executive Director of Transparency International UK said:

‘The UK should be aspiring to a CPI score which puts it in the top ten – not struggling to make the top 20. It should demonstrate that its own house is in order before exhorting developing countries to improve their governance. Our Agenda for Zero Tolerance for Corruption can help the UK to turn the corner and restore its credibility as a champion of good governance both at home and abroad’.