Ethics and Integrity Commission lacks statutory footing and investigative powers

The Ethics and Integrity Commission launched on 13 October 2025, replacing the Committee on Standards in Public Life. It is advisory only. It conducts evidence-based reviews and reports to the Prime Minister, has no remit to investigate individual cases, and its chair and independent members are all appointed by the PM for non-renewable five-year terms. Created by executive action, it can be reshaped or dissolved by any future PM the same way. The Institute for Government welcomed it as a start while noting the limits, and the Independent Adviser can initiate investigations while the PM still controls consequences.

The UK's standards architecture failed visibly during 2020-22, through Partygate, PPE cronyism and advisers resigning unheeded. An ethics body that depends entirely on prime-ministerial goodwill cannot restrain a prime minister, the failure mode the last decade demonstrated. Public trust data shows the cost of standards being seen as optional.

Primary legislation placing the commission, the Independent Adviser and the business-appointments regime on a statutory basis, with protected budgets, appointment by open competition with parliamentary confirmation, and own-initiative investigation powers, the model CSPL itself recommended in 2021.

// State-led: Instrument: primary legislation giving the EIC statutory footing, protected budget and own-initiative investigation powers.

Standards architecture that failed during Partygate now rests on a PM-appointed advisory body a future PM can dissolve, and the statutory fix needs legislation and political will.