John Bowers KC, esteemed barrister, principal of Brasenose College, Oxford, and, most importantly to me, friend and Grimsby supporter, recently released a book on the decline of standards in public life called Downward Spiral. This excellent book serves as a timely reminder, as we approach a general election, of how much we have normalised misbehaviour and accepted the lack of integrity among some politicians – a trend that seemed to reach its zenith under the Conservative leadership of Boris Johnson. Whether it was Partygate, questionable PPE contracts, Greensill or the cronyism in recommending family and friends for honours, we have lost our expectations of integrity or high standards in public life.
Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer have stated their intention to restore confidence in the integrity of the office of prime minister. They are scheduled to appear in a live debate on Sky News in Grimsby on Wednesday. This event provides both leaders with an opportunity to appeal to the “moral sentiment” of a town frequently featured in Sky News’s coverage leading up to the general election.
