The Ethical World of British MPs

Jeremy Caple is an assistant professor of history at Wilfrid Laurier
University in Waterloo.

The conclusion of this timely work should resonate throughout all
Western democracies. Given the current swing toward a governing
philosophy that values self-interest over service, a study of ethics and
ethical assumptions is most warranted. Britain has recently weathered a
series of political scandals, including the sale of arms to Iraq
(sanctioned by the Thatcher government) and the enormous wealth gained
by several former ministers who oversaw the privatization of various
industries.

This well-written study (based on a series of questions that were
submitted to 100 British MPs from all parties, between 1986 and 1988)
reveals that the current British parliament has no institutional
controls set up to guide ethical conduct. The idea of “honourable
gentleman” presumes a culture of ethical, “gentlemanly” conduct.
The disturbing conclusions drawn from this book may be applied to other
nations, including Canada. Although most legislatures have established
broad definitions of conduct, it is often difficult to avoid
questionable behavior if ethical assumptions are driven, as they appear
increasingly to be, by ideology.