A wave of scandals has reignited debate over misconduct in public office, criticised as unclear and inconsistently applied. Writing in NLJ this week, Alice Lepeuple of WilmerHale says the offence’s ‘vagueness, overbreadth & inconsistent deployment’ have undermined confidence
Proposed reforms under the Public Office (Accountability) Bill would replace it with clearer statutory offences and introduce duties of candour.
While some question the need for new crimes, supporters argue they address gaps and reinforce accountability. If adopted, the reforms could reshape how public wrongdoing is prosecuted—and perceived.
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