Letter: The Nolan Principles

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak fired Conservative party chairman Nadhim Zahawi after an inquiry into Zahawi's tax affairs found a "serious breach" of ministerial rules. PIC: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images

This Sunday, we learned Chancellor Zahawi was sacked for a serious breach of the ministerial code, specifically “openness”.

Few might realise that the ministerial code applies to all public servants, including metro Mayors, councillors and MP’s as well as non politicians sitting on public bodies.

They’re better known as the Seven Nolan Principles of Public Life; selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership. It doesn’t take much to realise Zahawi broke most, if not all of them.

As a campaigner both for Nolan to be the go to reference before decisions are concluded and for the full restoration of the train concession for the elderly, it’s clear that Zahawi isn’t alone.

So far no one has been held accountable under Nolan for the tree debacle let alone resigned or been sacked.

Now in the fifth year of a metro mayoralty it’s difficult to see what it and the Transport Committee have done or achieved. The December 15 meeting broke every Nolan Principle going by being closed to the public and press with a report based on fabricated assumptions bearing no resemblance to reality.

Despite knowing how other regions fund their concessions the Committee kicked the decision six months down the road in order to find out what Mayor Coppard already knew.

Within weeks he was photographed in Manchester with the very mayors he said he needed six months to talk to! No openness.

So Mayor Coppard, if as we’ve explained, no one bases their concession on a full refund of fares, will you apologise or resign? No leadership, no honesty.

This week the Mayor tweeted that private bus and coach companies are to be handed a £385,000 bonus to pay for drivers to be trained.

Two points – Stagecoach alone makes profits of about £29m and to rub salt into wounds £385K is £56,000 nore than the annual cost of the concession when it was wrongly removed, not because of austerity but hubris.

There’s money for private companies already making vast profits but nothing for the elderly.

At least Zahawi could be sacked. How do we hold the Mayor, the MPs, councillors and unelected individuals who are left to ignore Nolan, left to run wild with our money, our needs, our health and welfare, to account?

Where is the higher authority, the ethics adviser for us?

Perhaps we wouldn’t need one if they all observed at least two Principles – integrity and honesty.

Mike Smith

S70