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British decline linked to Brexit, weak leadership and precarious finances in damning report
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Weak leadership, poor economic management and Brexit took Britain out of the top 10 countries in a global index of good government.
Britain’s decline under the Conservatives was mapped around the world Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI) which saw him occupy 11th place.
At a time when Rishi Sunak has been under siege from his own Conservative MPs, the UK’s position in the annual list has been worsened by “leadership and vision” scores, which placed him in 20th place.
It was also achieved by reaching 27th place in “financial management”. The findings come amid reports of an exodus of businesses from the city of London.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak leaves 10 Downing Street. The UK was marked by weak leadership (PA)
Despite Brexit and the consequences of leaving the HUH, Britain’s position was boosted by coming second in the “global reputation and influence” category, beaten only by France. Overall, Singapore came out on top in the index. However, Brexit seriously damaged the United Kingdom’s international trade score, with a drop of 26 places.
The report noted that leadership makes an important difference.
It stated: “What public sector leaders decide, do or say impacts public trust in government. Good leaders create and sustain cultures of integrity, competence and service. They have a clear idea of the medium and long-term paths for their government and country. They cultivate the vision needed to anticipate emerging challenges and opportunities.”
He scored country governments for their ethical leadership, long-term vision, adaptability, strategic prioritization and innovation.
Meanwhile, financial management was assessed based on public debt levels, expenditure efficiency, budget surplus and risk premium.
Jeremy Hunt is responsible for the country’s finances. The UK was also reduced by its financial management (PA).
The UK’s global influence score was high, but was hampered by being outside the EU, meaning its international trade status fell from second to 28th place.
The findings were the conclusion of CGGI’s panel of experts and leaders in business and government.
They included Dr Reuben Abraham, chief executive of Artha Global; Elizabeth Andersen, executive director of the World Justice Project; Dr. Christian Bason, founder of Transition Collective; Nathalie Delapalme, chief executive of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation; Adrian Brown, executive director of the Center for Public Impact; Dr. Ed Olowo-Okere, Vice President of the World Bank; Dr. Manuel Gerardo Flores Romero of the OECD; and Professor Kent Weaver, professor of public policy and government at Georgetown University.
Labor seized on the findings as evidence that political chaos under the Tories and the uncertainty surrounding Rishi Sunak’s leadership, along with the fallout from Liz Truss’s mini-budget, had put the UK in decline.
Treasury Chief Secretary Darren Jones said: “These new ratings fly in the face of Rishi Sunak’s argument that we are turning the corner.
“The UK is a brilliant place with so much potential, but we have been disastrously let down by 14 years of chaos, with five prime ministers in seven years and our economy still recovering from the Tories’ bombastic mini-budget.
“The Labor Party has a real plan to turn the page on this decline. With Keir Starmer’s Labor Party, we will spur a decade of renewal with strong fiscal rules, a new national wealth fund to make smart, strategic investments in the industries of the future, and public services we can be proud of again.”
The conclusions come as Sir Keir Starmer launched the Labor Party’s election campaign with a maximum promise of “economic stability” in his first six steps published in a new commitment card.
But Downing Street sources said they found the findings “strange” and “lack of evidence”.
A source close to the Prime Minister said: “I would point to the GDP statistics and what they showed last week. Fastest joint growth in the G7, one of the best and fastest recoveries since the pandemic (Germany and others still in recession), so I’m not sure how the facts match up with their ratings.”