One year ago, the United Kingdom was playing a leading role in European efforts to crack down on companies paying bribes to overseas officials. The government brought new legislation to Parliament, put a minister in charge of the problem, and created a task force to boost police resources. Most importantly, it was pursuing a high-profile investigation into corruption involving a major arms deal.
But now the police have been told to stop asking questions; the legislation has been shelved. Britain’s reputation as a crusader against corporate bribery is in tatters.
