UK and US sink to new lows in global index of corruption

Countries' drop in scores in annual table comes amid worrying trend' of backsliding in established democracies

The UK and US have sunk to new lows in a global index of corruption, amid a worrying trend" of democratic institutions being eroded by political donations, cash for access and state targeting of campaigners and journalists.

Experts and businesspeople rated 182 countries based on their perception of corruption levels in the public sector to compile a league table that was bookended by Denmark at the top with the lowest levels of corruption and South Sudan at the bottom.