Following on as to what constitutes the public interest, one must make a distinction between what the general public are interested in and what is actually in the interest of the general public. Living in a democracy we have elections to put in place representatives to lead and manage the country where we live. Various institutions have evolved where politically active citizens have been elected to serve in the governance of the country in the interests of the public who elected them to office. Within those institutions there is a hierarchy wherein the various aspects of government are separated into departments to enable that governance to function with greater efficiency. The elected representatives appoint or hire a group of people to run and manage the day to day functions of each department. That group are servants of the government which serves the public. Each department is overseen by an elected representative who manages the product of the department with the assistance of that permanent hired professional civil staff. The entire structure and functions of the government are financed by the general public through taxation imposed by the elected representatives in the interests of the public.
The elected representatives determine not only how revenue is raised, but how much is raised and how it is to be spent. They claim to do do these things entirely in the public interest. As the funds are entirely public funds, it is only natural that a high degree of care is taken with its management, to ensure that the funds are gathered and dispensed 100% in the public interest.
To ensure that the proper and appropriate degree of care is taken, various codes of conduct have been put in place, in writing. As well as the written codes of conduct, there are certain implied or inherent terms and conditions which governs the conduct of all people serving the government, whether they be elected representative or permanent public servants working within the civil service. All have a duty of care to behave in accordance with total commitment to promoting and safeguarding the interests of the public.
The necessity for codes of conduct is because of the very size of the public purse, not only because of the amount raised, but more significantly how it is spent. So who spends it, what on and to whom, is of pretty great import.
What we are seeing at the moment is a government run and managed by people who seem to have no regard for any codes of conduct, other than what they make up and improvise as they go along. The claim to be acting in the public interest is mouthed without any concern for the truth, as if all that mattered is merely making the claim. There is no need any more for substance. Things are being said and done almost entirely out of self and political interest. This reality is unfortunately being masked by the current pandemic. Certain members of the Government have assumed that the cloud cover of dealing with the effects of Covid 19 will allow them to behave in any way they can to promote their own self interest and that of their supporters. They continue to do so with an arrogance and cupidity that has no boundaries. They shrug their shoulders, grimace in disgust at being challenged and call out the mantra “It’s all done in the public interest, let’s move on”.
That the public cannot see through ‘Just Boris” is a very sad situation for the United Kingdom. What is most disturbing, according to statistics, is that the very people he cares least about, the social grades C2, D and E, are the ones who seem to give him a high approval rating. Those who disapprove of him the most are the 18 - 24 year olds, which is the only saving grace. I do hope that they will make an impact at the next election to get rid of this unprincipled gang of Just Boris and his Outlaws.
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