The UK could join three other countries on a “list of shame” for repeatedly failing to meet the requirements set out by a global anti-corruption body cofounded by the UK.
It has been warned that for the third time in a row it has fallen short of minimum requirements in its action plan to boost transparency, as set out as a condition of membership by the Open Government Partnership (OGP).
The OGP's chief executive Sanjay Pradhan said in a letter to the UK cabinet office that the government was now at risk of joining Malta, Malawi and El Salvador in being designated as “inactive” in the body.
An independent review commissioned by the OGP, which has 77 states as members, identified flaws in four of five commitments made by the government in its latest transparency plan.
A pledge to improve the openness of government procurement processes was described as “promising”, but remaining plans to tackle international corruption and illicit finance, develop open justice, improve transparency in the use of algorithms in decision making, and make health data more accessible, “lacked specific and measurable milestones that would allow detailed analyses of their potential for results”.
It is the third time in recent years that the UK has fallen short of the criteria set out by the OGP, which was established along with seven other countries under the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government led by David Cameron in 2011.
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The government was first notified by the OGP in February 2021 that it had been placed under review after the 2019-2021 transparency plan failed to meet the minimum requirement for “public influence and co-creation”.
The OGP has now told the government it may recommend that the UK is added to the “inactive” list at a regional meeting in Rome in October.
The UK Open Government Network (OGN) co-ordinates civil society input into the UK’s national action plan.
“In 2011, the UK government was a founding member of the Open Government Partnership and provided global leadership on how and why governments should be transparent, held to account and involve the public in decision-making,” said OGN chairman Kevin Keith.
“Now, that very same partnership may declare the UK government inactive — it is a shameful fall from grace.”
Susan Hawley, executive director of research organisation Spotlight on Corruption, said the UK’s reputation as a “clean democracy is on the line”.
She added that civil society had been “repeatedly blanked” when offering to help the government develop an action plan for restoring public trust in politics, with crucial recommendations made by the Committee on Standards in Public Life and the independent review of the Greensill lobbying affair yet to be implemented.
“The government needs to take urgent action to show that it takes integrity in public life seriously,” she said.
UK prime minister says he takes corruption row very seriously — video
Rachel Davies, advocacy director at anti-corruption organisation Transparency International UK, said the UK had made some progress on economic crime, for example.
“But this risks being undermined without concurrent action on standards reform,” she said.
The government has been approached for comment.
AT%20A%20GLANCE
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What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
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Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
UAE SQUAD FOR ASIAN JIU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP
Men’s squad: Faisal Al Ketbi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Kathiri, Thiab Al Nuaimi, Khaled Al Shehhi, Mohamed Ali Al Suwaidi, Farraj Khaled Al Awlaqi, Muhammad Al Ameri, Mahdi Al Awlaqi, Saeed Al Qubaisi, Abdullah Al Qubaisi and Hazaa Farhan
Women's squad: Hamda Al Shekheili, Shouq Al Dhanhani, Balqis Abdullah, Sharifa Al Namani, Asma Al Hosani, Maitha Sultan, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Maha Al Hanaei, Shamma Al Kalbani, Haya Al Jahuri, Mahra Mahfouz, Marwa Al Hosani, Tasneem Al Jahoori and Maryam Al Amri
