A CORRUPTION expert has said the Prime Minister’s recent rule-breaking will filter down through the country.

Prime Minister Boris Johns and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were among the high-profile politicians issued with fines by the Metropolitan Police, after it emerged they broke the lockdown laws they had asked the public to follow.

It has led to outrage from much of the United Kingdom, with many political leaders calling for their resignations.

Professor Elizabeth David-Barrett, director of the Centre for the Study of Corruption (CSC) at the University of Sussex, said that despite this, there is little the public can do to oust the Prime Minister.

The Argus: Professor Elizabeth David-BarrettProfessor Elizabeth David-Barrett

“Formal accountability is pretty weak in the UK, and political accountability is just not working,” she said.

“The current system relies heavily on conventions and on politicians being prepared to face up to their responsibilities.

“When those in power shirk these obligations, there’s very little anyone can do about it. At best, you can wait for the next election to come around, and even then your ability to voice your protest is limited if you live in a safe seat or the opposition has failed to put up a credible candidate.”

Many people in the UK were issued with fines of £10,000 for breaking lockdown rules during the height of the pandemic, whereas the Prime Minister and Chancellor were issued with penalties of just £50.

Prof David-Barrett said that people could see the actions of those in government and be encouraged to break laws themselves.

The Argus: The Prime Minister and Chancellor have faced calls to resignThe Prime Minister and Chancellor have faced calls to resign

“The rule of law is much more fragile than people think, and ’tone at the top’ is crucial to maintaining it,” she said.

“If we see that our leaders are willing to flout the rules that they set for others, or to ‘price in’ a police fine, and continue as if nothing ever happened, then people lower down the echelons start to wonder what they can get away with. And that increases the risks of corruption.

“It doesn’t take long for rules to start losing their grip on people, and it’s a whole lot harder to build compliance – and confidence - back again.”