With a forensic eye and an abundance of jaw-dropping detail, John Bowers paints a picture of the pit into which British public life sank during the age of Boris Johnson. But this is about more than the moral indecencies of one individual. Bowers makes a compelling case that it is the system itself that needs an overhaul, so that no future prime minister can trample on basic standards with such impunity.
Jonathan Freedland, Guardian columnist
A forensic, scathing dissection of the multiple weaknesses of our democratic order that successive Tory governments exploited shamelessly. This is a must-read and an indispensable manual for those who would reform a political system whose ethical foundations have fallen so low.
Will Hutton, author of How Good We Can Be
'The eminent KC John Bowers believes that our constitutional architecture is no longer fit for purpose. Downward spiral is a devastating analysis of the breakdown of ethical standards in public life. He proposes wide-ranging reforms to restore trust in our institutions. This is a book that should be read by every concerned citizen.'
Sir Vernon Bogdanor, Professor of Government, King's College London
This sadly much needed book tells a shocking tale of the undermining of parliament, the civil service, ethical codes and good governance. It also sets out an agenda for reinstating integrity and standards in public life. It should be a go-to text for anyone who cares about restoring governments ethical behaviour.
Baroness Hayter
With too many cheques and not enough balances in the system, its time for a new ethical settlement. John Bowers identifies the depths to which our public standards have sunk and suggests a way forwards. Essential reading, especially for those in power or who aspire to power.
Baroness Royall
'John Bowers has written a very timely book that exposes the damage being done to society by a ruling class that governs without recourse to standards in public life. Downward spiral is a wake-up call to all those who care about the future of a fair and accountable political system.'
Robert Verkaik, author of Posh Boys: How English Public Schools Ruin Britain
John Bowers has written a measured, comprehensive and utterly devastating account of the Johnson governments degradation of British public life. Everyone who wishes to restore honour and integrity to the way we are governed should read this outstanding account of how we entered a spiral of decline and how we can clamber out of it.
Sir Ivor Crewe, author of The Blunders of Our Governments
'A fast-paced, hard-hitting and readable book about policing ethics in public life.'
Marina Wheeler, The New Statesman
'Bowers has written a compendious account of the incidents that eroded trust from 2019 to 2022, when Boris Johnson was prime minister and they didnt end there. Though the author has interviewed a number of key figures, his book does not claim to be an insiders account: we recognise and immediately remember the scandals he records. But setting them out, page after page, reminds us of just how many breaches of trust there were. Bowers provides a sense of perspective that is hard to reach while events relentlessly unfold.'
Joshua Rozenberg KC
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