The Ethical World of British Mps

The ethical standards of the British House of Commons depend almost entirely upon the personal ethics of its individual members. Parliament expects that its members, as holders of a public trust, will be "honourable members" in both name and deed. Maureen Mancuso examines the current state of British legislative ethics and raises theoretical questions about whether the ethical standards of an institution should depend entirely on the personal ethics of individual MPs. Based on extensive personal interviews with more than 100 MPs, this investigation of legislative ethics takes a scientific approach. The author identifies significant divergence in ethical attitudes and divides MPs into four types: the Puritans - who stake out the moral high ground; the Servants - who use their position to benefit their constituents, not themselves; the Muddlers - who are not bothered by personal conflicts of interest; and the Entrepreneurs - who use their position to achieve any end not explicitly prohibited. The implications of this diverse ethical ecosystem are explored, along with various possibilities for reform.