The UK’s trust-based approach to regulating conflicts of interest is no longer fit for purpose

Recently we found out that, six months after leaving office as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid will be taking a job with JP Morgan. Earlier in the summer, we saw major donors to the Conservative Party rewarded with elevation to the House of Lords and learned how Housing Minister Robert Jenrick had overruled his own department to grant planning permission to another party donor, and done so in a way that allowed the property developer to avoid a £40m tax bill. In all cases, the public has been asked to take it on trust that the individuals concerned are managing conflicts of interest appropriately and insulating their decisions from improper influence. Liz David-Barrett explains why this trust-based approach to regulating conflicts of interest is no longer fit for purpose.