The Facts
Following a year of high-profile corruption scandals, the UK has dropped from 11th place to 18th with a score of 73 out of 100 on Transparency International's 180-country corruption perceptions index (CPI), which uses measures from the Economist Intelligence Unit, World Economic Forum, and World Justice Project.
The report, which notes the UK as experiencing the sharpest decline among all G7 countries, came two days after PM Rishi Sunak fired Conservative party chair Nadhim Zahawi over his tax affairs.
The Spin
Narrative A
London's leaders should be ashamed. The "corruption perceptions index" is the ultimate global poll, showing political and business experts' views on how transparent and frugal government leaders are. The UK's carelessness regarding taxpayer money and "pay-to-play politics" is clear for all the world to see.
Narrative B
What this report shows is that every nation — Western, democratic, Eastern, and authoritarian — is corrupt. With only eight countries actually improving their scores, the world is becoming more dangerous for people all across the globe with no signs of reversing. The UK's decline is symbolic of worldwide corruption.
