Forcing an anti-corruption watchdog to rule on a former minister who “consumes the maximum personal portions of a hapless marsupial” on television is not a wise use of public money, its leader has said.
Lord Pickles, chairman of the Professional Appointments Advisory Committee (Acoba), referred to Matt Hancock’s appearance in I’m A Celebrity. . . Get Me Out of Here!—where the former fitness secretary dined with a kangaroo penis, saying that reforming the existing regime would “make sense of the system. “
Reiterating his warning that existing regulations on post-government jobs are “not fit for purpose,” he said the planned adjustments would allow his framework to act in more complex instances that safeguard the interests and integrity of government.
But the Conservative colleague, under pressure, wants to “take action”, welcoming measures to impose fines on those who break the rules, arguing that there will have to be consequences.
Under a new ethics regime announced through the government last year, former ministers who flout post-government labor regulations could face monetary penalties.
A “ministerial law” will be designed to legally oblige parliamentarians to respect the rules regarding the acceptance of employment after leaving office, forcing them to the same restrictions as civil servants.
While Acoba, which analyses post-ministerial work, found that Hancock had breached government regulations by consulting the framework before appearing on truth TV programmes, Channel 4’s I’m A Celebrity and SAS Who Dares Wins, said any disciplinary action would be “disproportionate”.
Speaking at a Westminster debate on parliamentary democracy and standards in public life, Lord Pickles said the scheme needed to be urgently updated to avoid a revolving door of former ministers rewarded with quality jobs in the personal sector.
He said: “The regulations are compatible with their purpose. They have followed fashionable professional patterns and pose major dangers to the integrity of the government.
“This failure has been evident for years and I applaud the government’s commitment to reform the formula announced last year. Now it’s time to start. “
He added: “The revised business rules need not just the confidence of the Prime Minister and peers, but more importantly they must have the credibility in the eyes of the public.
“To cross the threshold of credibility and be heard by the public, there will have to be consequences for not following the rules. At the moment there aren’t any, because of an unpleasant letter from me and a few days of bad exposure in the press. “.
Highlighting the importance of stricter regulations for outgoing members of government, adding the risk of a fine, Lord Pickles said: “Ministers will have to lead by example and take the initiative.
“They can’t expect others to play by the rules unless they’re willing to do it themselves first. “
He continued: “The reform will give meaning to the system.
“This is not a wise use of public money, as we are forced to do now, for the benefit of a former minister who eats the maximum intimate portions of a hapless marsupial on television. There is no government interest to protect here.
“It would be greater if there were a slight touch of journalism, entertainment, voluntary paintings or transfers to other public service spaces.
“It would be greater if those who come from the personal sector had a transparent concept of the restrictions they will face when leaving the public service.
“It would be better for Acoba to concentrate on instances that are more complex than the interests and probity of the government. “
In response to the debate, the leader of the Lords, Lord True, said the government’s reforms “will mark the advent of stricter enforcement of regulations on professional appointments with a clearer path to sanctions, adding potentially monetary consequences for beaches. “
He told his colleagues, “It’s going very actively now. “
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