The Prime Minister Boris Johnson-led United Kingdom government has rejected the fresh accusations of corruption after a newspaper investigation found major donors to his Conservative Party were offered seats in parliament’s upper chamber.
It should be noted that the government has been enmeshed in a corruption row in recent weeks, with Johnson forced to abandoned plans pushed through parliament to protect one of his lawmakers who was found to have broken lobbying rules.
Multiples reports have it that all but one of the 16 Conservative treasurers over the last two decades had donated more than 3 million pounds ($4.05 million) to the party and then been offered a seat in the House of Lords.
It was gathered that the role of Conservative treasurer has become the most valued job in Britain, ahead leaders of the country’s institutions and charitable organisations and even former prime ministers.
In a post on Twitter, opposition Labour Party deputy leader Angela Rayner said “Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party is corrupt, dodgy, sleazy and on the take”.
Reacting to the allegations, Environment minister George Eustice rejected the accusations, saying “They are philanthopsts who give huge amounts to charity, who have been very successful in business and therefore on those grounds ought to be considered for the Lords.”
The minister described the outburst over Conservative lawmaker Owen Paterson, who quit parliament after the government’s U-turn on plans to overhaul the system for combating parliamentary corruption, as a “storm in a teacup”.
Local reports have it that the development has birthed fresh eyebrows about Johnson’s ethics. He has faced other accusations of wrongdoing, including plans to have party donors secretly contribute to a luxury renovation of his Downing Street flat. Johnson has said the government followed the rules over the refurbishment.
According to an Opinion poll for the Observer newspaper, Johnson’s personal approval rating has fallen to its lowest level on record while the Conservative’s lead over Labour has fallen to a single percentage point.
Labour leader Keir Starmer said “The prime minster is trashing the reputation of our democracy and our country”.
“It is a pattern of behaviour from a prime minister who doesn’t know how to uphold standards in public life.”
