Britain & US Corruption Scores Plummet to Record Lows

London Arab

The Global Corruption Perceptions Index issued by Transparency International revealed that Britain and the United States fell to their lowest positions, in light of what the report described as a “worrying trend” that reflects the erosion of democratic institutions as a result of the increasing influence of political money, buying access to decision-makers, and targeting journalists and activists.

The index included an evaluation of 182 countries based on the opinions of experts and businessmen about the levels of corruption in the public sector, with Denmark topping the list as the least corrupt country for the eighth year in a row, while South Sudan and Somalia came at the bottom of the ranking, followed by Venezuela, Yemen and Libya.

According to what was reported by The Guardian newspaper, the report recorded a general deterioration at the global level, as the results of only 31 countries improved compared to a decline of 50 countries, with special observations regarding the decline in established democracies. The organization warned that developments during Donald Trump’s presidency, in addition to what was revealed in the Jeffrey Epstein files, may contribute to further decline.

Britain has gradually declined in the rankings since 2015, from seventh place to twentieth place in 2025, achieving 70 points out of 100, compared to 71 points in last year’s report. Transparency International attributed this decrease to concerns related to the practices of the two main parties that ran in the 2024 general elections.

The report indicated that record spending on election campaigns reinforced reliance on major financiers, pointing out that the Conservative Party received 15 million pounds sterling from one donor in less than a year, in reference to businessman Frank Hester, which sparked calls for the return of donations after the revelation of racist and sexist statements attributed to him.

He also referred to reports that Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, was considering making a donation worth $100 million (£73 million) to the Reform Party. On the other hand, the Labor Party faced criticism after granting its largest donor, Waheed Ali, a special permit to enter the Prime Minister’s Office, in addition to criticism regarding the appointment of donors to political positions.

The organization warned that Britain may remain “mired in scandals” during the current year, in light of the revelations of relationships between prominent labor figures, including Peter Mandelson, the former British ambassador to the United States, and Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of crimes of sexual assault against minors.

The Executive Director of Transparency International in Britain, Daniel Bruce, said, “This continued decline is not a temporary symptom, but rather threatens to become a permanent feature of the political culture,” calling on the government to take bold measures to remove political money, enhance transparency, and end favoritism that undermines confidence in institutions.

In the United States, the ranking fell from 28th to 29th place, recording the lowest result in its history with 64 points, after Lithuania surpassed it. The report pointed to the possibility of continued decline, pointing to the use of public authority to restrict independent voices, politicize prosecutorial decisions, and undermine the independence of the judiciary.

Only seven countries scored 80 points or more, led by Denmark, followed by Finland, Singapore, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

For its part, the British government announced plans to enhance standards of integrity in public life, including a mechanism to isolate members of the House of Lords involved in scandals, and review the rules regulating political lobbying activities. A government spokesman said that the new anti-corruption strategy aims to hold the corrupt accountable and protect democracy, and includes additional funding worth 15 million pounds sterling to expand the local anti-corruption unit.