UK and US sink to new lows in global index of corruption | Corruption index and barometer
UK and US fall to new lows global corruption indexIt is amid a “worrying trend” where democratic institutions are being eroded by political donations, money paid for outreach and state targeting of campaigners and journalists.
Experts and business leaders have ranked 182 countries on their perception of levels of public sector corruption, producing a league table with Denmark as the least corrupt and South Sudan at the bottom.
The Corruption Perceptions Index, compiled by campaign group Transparency International, found an overall global deterioration, with 31 countries increasing their scores while 50 falling.
The report found a decline, especially in established democracies, and warned that events during Donald Trump’s presidency and the revelations in the Epstein files could lead to further deterioration.
The UK has gradually fallen down the rankings since 2015, falling from seventh to 20th in 2025 and falling to 71st in 2025, with a score of 71 out of 100. last year’s report.
Explaining the slight decline, Transparency International noted concerns linked to the two major political parties participating in the 2024 general elections.
He said record spending on election campaigns had “increased” dependence on wealthy backers, with the Conservatives accepting £15 million from a single donor in less than 12 months.
This is understood to be a reference to contributions by businessman Frank Hester, who sparked calls for the Conservative Party to return the money after the Guardian revealed the party’s biggest donor had made racist and sexist comments.
It was also noted that the world’s richest person, Elon Musk, is considering donating $100 million (£73 million) to Reform UK.
Labor has also come under scrutiny after it was revealed that Labour’s biggest donor, Waheed Alli, had received privileged access to Number 10. The report also highlighted criticism of political appointments by party donors.
Transparency International has warned that Britain is likely to remain “scandal-ridden” this year as the relationship between Labor ambassador and former US ambassador Peter Mandelson and convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is revealed.
“This permanent decline is not a temporary disruption; it risks becoming a defining feature of our political culture,” said Daniel Bruce, chief executive of Transparency International UK.
“The UK government must show that it is serious about restoring integrity. This means taking bold action to remove huge amounts of money from politics, deliver truly open government and end the cronyism that undermines public confidence in our institutions.”
The government has announced plans to strengthen standards in public life, including a mechanism to remove disgraced peers and a review of the current framework regulating lobbying.
The United States dropped from 28th to 29th, ahead of Lithuania, which recorded its lowest score to date with 64 points. Judging by the report’s assessment of recent events, the United States may decline even further.
Transparency International said that the surveys from which the data for the report were taken were conducted in 2025, but they did not take into account all the events that took place in that year, which was the first year of Trump’s second presidency.
It noted “the use of public office to target and restrict independent voices such as NGOs and journalists, the normalization of contradictory and transactional policies, the politicization of prosecutorial decision-making, and actions that undermine the independence of the judiciary.”
Only seven countries scored 80 or higher, with Denmark coming out on top for the eighth year in a row, followed by Finland, Singapore, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.
South Sudan ranked lowest, along with Somalia, just behind Venezuela, Yemen and Libya.
Transparency International lamented the “worrying trend” of falling scores, especially in democracies where institutions were previously strong.
“The global order is under pressure due to competition between great powers and dangerous disregard for international norms,” the statement said.
“Armed conflicts and the climate crisis are creating deadly effects, and societies are becoming increasingly polarized.
“To meet these challenges, the world needs principled leaders and strong, independent institutions that act with integrity to protect the public interest. But too often we see a failure of good governance and accountable leadership.”
Transparency International launched its Corruption Perceptions Index in 1995, but past rankings are from 2012, when it changed the methodology.
A government spokesman said: “This government is committed to tackling corruption and protecting working people’s hard-earned money.
“Our anti-corruption strategy directly targets corrupt actors, disrupting their influence and strengthening the systems that protect our democracy.
“This strategy brings more corrupt individuals to justice in the UK and includes £15m of new funding for an expanded local corruption unit.”
