ABSTRACT
The report was issued at a time when John Major’s beleaguered govern ment was facing ever increasing adversity. Recently held municipal elec tions had proved disastrous for the Conservative Party and, in the House of Commons, an already depleted government majority anticipated further inroads into its fragile margin in the face of forthcoming by-elections. If this was not enough, yet another scandal involving a government member was exposed, the member concerned having put down an amendment in the name of another member to a bill in which the former had a financial interest. Given the prevailing political climate there was press speculation as to how far the government would go in implementing the Nolan Committee recommendations. Government members, it was argued, might be reluctant to accept the rigid restrictions on their paid activities proposed by the Committee at a time when they could be facing imminent defeat in an enforced general election. Nevertheless, the prime minister’s immediate response was to embrace the recommendations in principle and provide time for the House of Commons to debate them. The debate showed that the press speculation was not unfounded. A bid by the Nolan Committee to direct its next enquiry into the financing of political parties was not favour ably received by the government. One hopes that the Committee’s important recommendations will not be stultified by partisan debate and that the maintenance of standards in public life will remain a priority of all parties.
