Transparency International UK welcome new Labour proposals but warn permanent action must be taken to avoid repeating pandemic mistakes

Commenting on today’s announcement that Labour would establish a Covid Corruption Commissioner, Duncan Hames, Director of Policy and Programmes, Transparency International UK said:

“The scale of taxpayers' money lost to corruption and fraud during the COVID pandemic is scandalous. Investigations seeking to recover what’s been lost are crucial to protecting the public purse. Rachel Reeves’ announcement today is a welcome one, placing action to address the legacy of COVID fraud at the centre of the discipline she intends to bring to public finances.

“Labour’s commitment to ensuring those who commit fraud against the government are excluded from future public contracts sends a clear and powerful message – if you do wrong, you’ll get caught, it’s you who will lose out.

“Any government serious about tackling fraud and corruption must look forward as well as back to ensure that lessons are learned and these failures are never repeated. Co-ordinated efforts to prevent corruption in government require continual vigilance and senior leadership so that, even when the legacy of COVID spending is addressed, public resources should always be used in the public’s interest.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. ‘Covid corruption commissioner’ would seek to recoup lost billions, says Labour https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/oct/08/covid-corruption-commissioner-recoup-lost-billions-labour