Simon Kuper

I would say it starts... With Margaret Thatcher, who herself was not corrupt, she was sort of restrained from stealing from government by a very strong Christian ethic. She thought it was wrong. And so even when her ministers would meet to discuss Tory party business, they had to pay for their own sandwiches because you're not discussing government work. It's party business.

I would say it starts... With Margaret Thatcher, who herself was not corrupt, she was sort of restrained from stealing from government by a very strong Christian ethic. She thought it was wrong. And so even when her ministers would meet to discuss Tory party business, they had to pay for their own sandwiches because you're not discussing government work. It's party business.

So everyone pays for their own food. And however, she kind of didn't really believe in public service. It was weird because she was a public servant, but she was always dissing it. People who worked in the public sector were sort of losers and leeches on the state and the real heroes of Britain were business people.

So everyone pays for their own food. And however, she kind of didn't really believe in public service. It was weird because she was a public servant, but she was always dissing it. People who worked in the public sector were sort of losers and leeches on the state and the real heroes of Britain were business people.

She had this idea that to get rich is glorious and she'd bring in business people to advise government because business is obviously better than government. And I think that's when you start on the right to get this waning of the public service ethos.

She had this idea that to get rich is glorious and she'd bring in business people to advise government because business is obviously better than government. And I think that's when you start on the right to get this waning of the public service ethos.

Because if you think of conservative politicians of previous generation like Harold Macmillan or Anthony Eden, Churchill, I mean, they spent their whole lives in public service starting with World War I because they had gone out to fight and if necessary, die for Britain in World War I. They believed that the highest thing you could do with your life was to serve the state.

Because if you think of conservative politicians of previous generation like Harold Macmillan or Anthony Eden, Churchill, I mean, they spent their whole lives in public service starting with World War I because they had gone out to fight and if necessary, die for Britain in World War I. They believed that the highest thing you could do with your life was to serve the state.

And, you know, business was a bit vulgar and grubby and it was very much not where it was happening. And so this public service ethos starts to disintegrate with Thatcher. And then what you get from the 80s and 90s is you get a lot of money coming into London. For a start, the city grows enormously after Thatcher's big bang of 1986.

And, you know, business was a bit vulgar and grubby and it was very much not where it was happening. And so this public service ethos starts to disintegrate with Thatcher. And then what you get from the 80s and 90s is you get a lot of money coming into London. For a start, the city grows enormously after Thatcher's big bang of 1986.

So suddenly you have people in banks and hedge funds who are earning millions. And the other thing is you get a lot of people from the former communist countries, especially the former USSR, coming to park their ill-gotten money here. So Roman Abramovich is a very spectacular example. But there's lots and lots of them. I think Moscow, you know, you could be...

So suddenly you have people in banks and hedge funds who are earning millions. And the other thing is you get a lot of people from the former communist countries, especially the former USSR, coming to park their ill-gotten money here. So Roman Abramovich is a very spectacular example. But there's lots and lots of them. I think Moscow, you know, you could be...

hurting a drive-by shooting in your favorite restaurant.

hurting a drive-by shooting in your favorite restaurant.

In Kensington, not so much. So you moved to Kensington.

In Kensington, not so much. So you moved to Kensington.

Yeah, later Putin came to get them. But for a while, London seemed a very safe haven, expensive schools, good tailors. And so a lot of money came here. And those people had learned from their home countries, not just the former Soviet Union, but also, say... Egypt, they'd learn in their home countries that you protect your money by being friendly with people in government.

Yeah, later Putin came to get them. But for a while, London seemed a very safe haven, expensive schools, good tailors. And so a lot of money came here. And those people had learned from their home countries, not just the former Soviet Union, but also, say... Egypt, they'd learn in their home countries that you protect your money by being friendly with people in government.

And the people in government, they also want a bit of money. And let's see if that proposition works in the UK. I'll donate to the ruling party. So you get a surge of money. These people very quickly get UK passports because there's a fast track of golden visas for rich people. So suddenly you're a UK citizen.

And the people in government, they also want a bit of money. And let's see if that proposition works in the UK. I'll donate to the ruling party. So you get a surge of money. These people very quickly get UK passports because there's a fast track of golden visas for rich people. So suddenly you're a UK citizen.