Starmer to scrap 'toothless' post-ministerial jobs watchdog and install tougher regime

Keir Starmer is to abolish the independent post-ministerial jobs watchdog, which has long been criticised as "toothless", and for the first time financial penalties will be imposed on those who break the rules after leaving the government.

- Pippa Crerar

As part of a standards overhaul that ministers hope will help improve public faith in the system, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) will be scrapped and a tougher regime introduced.

Under the changes, which come into force from October and which the Guardian first reported last month, former ministers and senior officials found to have seriously breached the rules will be asked to repay any severance payment received.

There is currently no obligation for them to follow the guidance issued by Acoba to ensure there are no conflicts of interest or that lobbying does not take place, and the body has no ability to issue punishments.

Boris Johnson, the Conservative former prime minister, breached the rules on taking jobs after government on three separate occasions without facing a proper sanction, leading to calls to beef up Acoba's powers.

Eligibility for ministerial severance payments will also be restricted, with those who leave office following a serious breach of the ministerial code or having served less than six months forgoing them entirely.

A new independent ethics and integrity commission (EIC) will be set up to oversee standards. It will incorporate the existing committee on standards in public life (CSPL), set up by John Major in 1994 to advise prime ministers, and will be led by the former military chief Doug Chalmers.