Taylor Swift, Glastonbury, clothes - the Prime Minister has paid back from than £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality he received since entering Number 10, following the simmering row over ministerial donations.
The unspoken truth is that parliament is full of freebies. And while we know much of it because of the Register of Members’ Interests, it is clear that the public mood has shifted, even if no rules have been broken.
Sir Keir Starmer has made great political hay over his probity. Frequently, he forcefully and rightly attacked the previous Conservative Government for when its ministers fell short in these matters. Indeed, Labour’s 2024 manifesto committed to establishing a “new independent Ethics and Integrity Commission (EIC), with its own independent chair, to ensure probity in government”. Yet these plans are yet to be fleshed out. Now would be a good time to start.
Britain is not a highly corrupt country. Yet our politicians are not beyond reproach, and our system is far from impregnable. It is difficult to overstate how much trust was damaged by the 2009 Parliamentary expenses scandal. In something of a domestic news desert, with little policy expected to be announced before the Budget, the Prime Minister ought to show leadership and get on with restoring faith in our political system.
Cool news for Piccadilly passengers
Long-time Piccadilly line users do not have long to wait now. The first new trains for half a century are set to enter service by the end of 2025. That means air-conditioned, walk-through carriages - real 20th century technologies.
Commuters on sub-surface lines such as the District may not bat an eyelid, but this represents the first deep level Tube line in the capital to have air conditioning. They will be more spacious, with greater headroom too.
The hope is that other lines such as the Bakerloo and Central will get the same makeover. But money is the familiar stumbling block. Transport for London is yet to secure Government funding to upgrade these fleets, or even replace the signalling on the Piccadilly line which would see its frequency rise to 36 trains per hour, as seen on the Victoria line.
That funding must be made available. But for now, at least a few million more Londoners will be able to take the Tube in relative comfort.
