Thank you for contacting me about honesty and integrity in politics.
I completely agree with you that politicians should uphold strong values. In carrying out their parliamentary and public duties, Members of Parliament are expected to observe the principles of conduct that apply to holders of public office. These include selflessness; integrity; objectivity; honesty; accountability; openness and leadership. Members of Parliament are also expected to observe the principles set out in the Parliamentary Behaviour Code of respect, professionalism, courtesy, and understanding of other people’s perspectives.
When elected, Members of Parliament take an oath and it is our responsibility to always act in accordance with the trust placed in us by our constituents. We are also subject to the Code of Conduct which rightly includes a general duty on MPs to act in the interests of the nation as a whole, as well as a special duty to our constituents. The Code also says that we should always behave with probity and integrity, including in our use of public resources.
The operation of the Code of Conduct is overseen by the House of Commons Committee on Standards and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. If an MP is found to have breached the code, they may be subject to a range of disciplinary sanctions.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.