10 signatures reached
To: Any politician who respects the public interest, Committee on Standards in Public Life, Commissioner for Standards
Create an Independent Office for the Public Interest
In recent years, many high-profile public petitions have been rejected, despite the issues raised being clearly in the public interest.
When the people can’t even petition their government about matters that affect them, public interest is no longer protected; it’s managed.
Equally, there is growing concern with regulators and civil servants who have become an authority unto themselves, often known to “ignore inconvenient truths” raised by the public and industry about their function and direction.
We need an Office for the Public Interest — an independent body with the power to step in when government departments, regulators, or public agencies act against the public good, or when petitions are rejected without fair consideration.
This Office should:
- Report directly to Parliament, not ministers.
- Investigate conflicts of interest and regulatory capture.
- Audit decisions and data that affect public welfare.
- Protect whistleblowers, journalists, and citizens who raise legitimate concerns.
- Publish findings openly and without political interference.
Right now, the public can’t effectively hold government, regulators, or civil servants to account — and when petitions are blocked, they can’t even ask questions in the first place.
It’s time to change that.
An Office for the Public Interest would give citizens a voice, restore accountability, and rebuild trust in how this country is governed.
An Office for the Public Interest would give citizens a voice, restore accountability, and rebuild trust in how this country is governed.
Politicians claim they work for the public. Recent events suggest otherwise.
Why is this important?
The simplest answer is that the political interpretation of “public interest” no longer matches the public’s true interests.
Decisions that should protect people, communities, and industries are too often shaped to protect departments, reputations, and corporate influence instead. When that happens, trust collapses and accountability disappears.
Across government, regulators, and public agencies, the public are expected to accept outcomes they had no real say in — and when they challenge them, their petitions are blocked or their concerns ignored.
An Office for the Public Interest would act as an impartial referee between the state and the people. It would make sure public-interest claims are tested against evidence, not politics, and that no department or regulator can hide behind its own interpretation of what serves the nation best.
If government truly works for the people, then the people must have a voice that cannot be silenced.
How it will be delivered
To Downing street whilst playing the bagpipes
