The government has published an update to the Ministerial Code on 23 August 2019 which includes a foreword from the Prime Minister emphasising the government’s determination to deliver Brexit in October 2019. The Ministerial Code sets out the standards of conduct expected of ministers and how they discharge their duties, and the latest version demands that ministers ‘uphold the very highest standards of propriety’.
Last updated in January 2018, the latest Ministerial Code has been published with a new foreword from Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Leaving no doubt as to the government's priorities, the PM opens by restating the government's ‘mission’ to deliver Brexit on 31 October 2019. In order to do that, and ‘win back’ the trust of the electorate, the code requires that ministers ‘uphold the very highest standards of propriety’. The Prime Minister emphasises the key expectations in this regard:
‘There must be no bullying and no harassment; no leaking; no breach of collective responsibility. No misuse of taxpayer money and no actual or perceived conflicts of interest. The precious principles of public life enshrined in this document—integrity, objectivity, accountability, transparency, honesty and leadership in the public interest—must be honoured at all times, as must the political impartiality of our much admired civil service.
‘Crucially, there must be no delay—and no misuse of process or procedure by any individual minister that would seek to stall the collective decisions necessary to deliver Brexit and secure the wider changes needed across our United Kingdom.’
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