The purpose of the project is to make practical recommendations to improve governance within the UK’s central institutions of government, thereby improving the quality of government and underpinning democracy.
The project is neutral in respect of political parties and its output has been made available to all three main UK parties on an equal basis for rapid implementation by a government formed by any of them after the next general election.
The project published its recommendations on 1 February 2024 and a joint statement on standards on 24 June 2024.
Commission
The project was led by a Commission of eight members:
The Right Honourable Dominic Grieve KC (chair)
Dominic Grieve was first elected as the Conservative MP for Beaconsfield in 1997 and served as Attorney General between 2010 and 2014. He left parliament in 2019.
Official Portrait of Mr Dominic Grieve (CC BY 3.0 DEED) by Chris McAndrew.
The Right Honourable Dame Margaret Hodge DBE MP
Margaret Hodge was first elected as the Labour MP for Barking in 1994 and served in a variety of ministerial roles between 1998 and 2010.
Official Portrait of Dame Margaret Hodge (CC BY 3.0) by Richard Townshend.
Professor David Howarth
David Howarth is Professor of Law and Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. He previously served as the Liberal Democrat MP for Cambridge between 2005 and 2010.
Sir Jonathan Jones KCB KC (Hon)
Jonathan Jones served as Treasury Solicitor between 2014 and 2020.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Helen MacNamara CB
Helen MacNamara served as Deputy Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Cabinet Secretariat between 2020 and 2021. She was also Director General of the Propriety and Constitution Group in 2018.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Professor Anand Menon
Anand Menon is the Director of UK in a Changing Europe and Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King’s College London.
The Right Honourable The Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury
Lord Neuberger served as the President of the Supreme Court between 2012 and 2017. He was also Master of the Rolls between 2009 and 2012.
Lord David Neuberger Royal Society (CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED) by Duncan Hull.
The Right Honourable Baroness Prashar CBE
Baroness Prashar was the inaugural chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission, between 2006 and 2011. She also served on the Iraq Inquiry.
Official Portrait of Baroness Prashar (CC BY 3.0) by Roger Harris.
Funding
The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust and The Cobalt Trust have supported the work of the UK Governance Project, in recognition of the importance of the issues concerned.
The facts presented and the views expressed in the Commission’s report are, however, those of the Commissioners and not necessarily those of the Joseph Roundtree Reform Trust or The Cobalt Trust.