Wednesday November 17th 2021
Library photo of Owen Thompson speaking in the House of Commons.
Midlothian MP Owen Thompson MP launched a scathing attack on the chronic cronyism and corruption at Westminster and called for root-and-branch reform.
Speaking during the opposition day debate on Randox Covid Contracts, Mr Thompson gave examples of the growing list of sleaze scandals under the current UK government. The debate follows Owen Paterson’s paid lobbying for diagnostics company Randox and the leaked revelations of companies who benefitted from the Tory government’s “VIP lane” which awarded almost 5bn in Covid contracts to people with political connections.
Mr Thompson is a long-term campaigner for greater transparency, including an attempt to bring in a “Crony Bill”, which would have required Ministers to declare their financial or personal connections to people gaining emergency contracts.
Mr Thompson said:
“I have lost count of how many times we have witnessed sleaze scandals under this government, and how little has been done to clean it up. Trust and faith in public office is being badly damaged, and democracy itself suffers as a result.
“We need transparency to shine a light on sleaze, but instead this government chooses to throw away the rule books and do its business in shadowy corners.
“Throughout the pandemic we’ve witnessed staggering sums of taxpayers’ money being handed to Tory donors, friends and contacts. Those in exclusive VIP channels were ten times more likely to get a contract while experienced suppliers couldn’t get a foot in the door. It’s not ‘what you know’ but ‘who you know’, in this place, and it stinks.
“This matters because democracy matters. Public servants must always act in the public interest not the interests of their pals and party donors. Fat cats benefit from corruption and transparency stamps it out.
“While rampant cronyism thrives under Boris Johnson, it is not the first time corruption has reared its ugly head – and it won’t be the last. This is not a few bad eggs – this is a system which is not fit for purpose. The very way Westminster is set up lends itself to this kind of thing happening over and over, with too much business done by a nod and a wink.
“It says it all that this government did not seek to clean up the system when a Tory MP was found to have broken the rules on paid lobbying, but instead sought to overturn the standards system that caught him. Compare that with Holyrood, where paid advocacy is not only clearly banned, it is illegal.
“If the political will was there, the system could be cleaned up at Westminster but I’m not holding my breath. I’m under no illusion that this scandal will lead to some dramatic new system of government rising from the ashes like a phoenix, but we can do better in Scotland. Independence means a written constitution that can guarantee in law that Governments are held accountable and transparency is guaranteed. “
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