If he was an MP, his voters could now be demanding a by-election under the Recall Act, but as Tony Blair gave him a life peerage, he could be back in the House of Lords next year. More here from Rob Evans and @direthoughts.com: www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Excellent work from @direthoughts.com and team, exposing serious misconduct resulting in a lengthy suspension for these two peers

Professional enablers often work behind the scenes—but their influence can drive corruption and state capture. Join our GI ACE roundtable with @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social, @devipillay.co.za, Alex Cooley, @jheathershaw.bsky.social, Corentin Cohen and @tenaprelec.bsky.social 🔗 bit.ly/GIACERoundtable

To negotiate a trade deal with the President of the United States, the Swiss government arrived with a "special Rolex desktop clock" and "a 1-kilogram personalized gold bar" www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...

Today’s #GIACEseminar was a lively dive into how illicit finance is reshaping tourism and hospitality. Thank you to Jean-Patrick Villeneuve, @ofabianobomfim.bsky.social, Dieter Zinnbauer, @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social and all the participants who joined! Learn more: bit.ly/corruptionin...

Crises like pandemics, cholera outbreaks & climate disasters don’t just strain health systems — they amplify corruption risks. New #GIACE blog by Claudia Baez Camargo & @dinabalabanova.bsky.social explores how overlapping emergencies in Malawi opened space for corruption. 🔗 bit.ly/BaselGIACEBlog

🚨The Nov GI ACE Newsletter is out! From real estate money laundering to sanctions evasion & a new blog on anti-money-laundering in the Global South — explore the latest from the GI ACE network. 🔗Read: bit.ly/GIACENewsletter_7 🔗SUB: bit.ly/NewsletterSUB

📢 CSC Seminar: From London to “Dubai-Kong” (1980–2024) 🗓 Mon 27 Oct, 12:00–13:00 UK | Online How US-sanctioned networks shifted from Western hubs to a Dubai–Hong Kong axis. Speaker: Daniel Haberly | Discussant: Tom Keatinge | Chair: @csc-barrington.bsky.social Register Here: bit.ly/CSC2webinar

As it stands, the government has taken a piecemeal approach to standards reform We need to see much more from Labour if it is to take meaningful steps to restore public trust in the political system, writes Transparency International UK's @danieljbruce.bsky.social

🚨 Baroness Mone, the directors, and everyone involved in PPE Medpro have missed the deadline to repay the £122 million owed for supplying faulty PPE. Now the interest is mounting. Every day they delay, the public pays. My message is clear: pay back what you owe.

In opposition, Labour was quick to condemn the previous government’s ethical failures and pledge to clean up politics. It now has the chance to prove its commitment is more than campaign rhetoric. @danieljbruce.bsky.social writes in @politicshome.bsky.social. www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

Strong move from the new Foreign Secretary. But it is shocking that fraudsters were able to hide behind shell companies in our own offshore territories, and then invest their ill-gotten gains in UK property. It is time to drive dirty money out of our economy for good.

New on the CSC blog: the 4th post in our Tasmania series by @robynlewis.bsky.social & Michael Johnston examines “quiet capture” and outlines reforms - independent ACA, stronger transparency/lobbying oversight, public-service capacity, meaningful participation. Read: bit.ly/Tasmania4

How big an impact will “minor reorganisation “ of UK ethics regulation bodies and the creation of advisory ethics commission with no enforcement powers have? Key question from @peterwalker99.bsky.social Our evidence to Parliament warns real risk of not much. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

This could be a major decision in turning the tide on Putin and making sure he pays for his unlawful war of aggression. I hope Germany, France & the UK can now repurpose frozen Russian state assets as soon as possible to keep Kyiv in the fight.

Excellent from @richardmoorhead.bsky.social on aggressive defamation law firm's interactions with police, SRA and others when defending a client on FBI's most wanted list. If professional ethics fail, tough regulation is the only alternative. lawyerwatch.wordpress.com/2025/10/08/s...

How do consulting giants enable state capture? @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social talks to @devipillay.co.za on McKinsey’s role in South Africa, drawing on the Zondo Commission. 🔗Listen: bit.ly/KBspotify138 🔗Paper: lnkd.in/eczS5NAM #StateCapture #SouthAfrica #AntiCorruption

“A pandemic was always going to be expensive. But we didn’t need to turn it into the profiteers charter that we did.” 📺 A new ITV documentary goes behind the scenes to reveal how government PPE contracts lined the pockets of businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch on @itvx.com now.

#Statecapture in South Africa wasn’t just politicians & the Guptas. Firms like McKinsey, Regiments & Trillian at Transnet & Eskom enabled inflated contracts & mismanagement. #GIACE research by @devipillay.co.za shows how unchecked outsourcing weakens state capacity. Read: bit.ly/consultants-...

Oh dear.

Sussex Spark 2025: Is the UK Politically Corrupt? Join us at Brighton Dome on 18 Sept for a public debate on the Nolan Principles and standards in public life. Panel: @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social,Becky Dobson Phillips, @suehawley.bsky.social, @drhannahwhite.bsky.social. 🎟️ Tickets: t.co/eQ90lgoToS

This is actually really big and very welcome. Unannounced amidst yesterday’s Hillsborough Law are new provisions to upgrade the UK’s archaic misconduct in public office offence. Big win for @spotlightcorruption.org. Here’s our analysis @bricksilk.bsky.social @csc-barrington.bsky.social

#GIACE hosted our Mid-Year Conference (8–9 Sept) with researchers, Fellows, FCDO & CSO partners. Day 1 featured multiple panels on research themes, ending with a roundtable on the Changing Global Order. Day 2 focused on impact - turning research into real-world solutions and more. bit.ly/giaceconf

New #GIACE blog by @csc-barrington.bsky.social asks: are lawyers upholding justice - or enabling kleptocrats? Recent research shows the long-standing “access to justice” defence is being challenged by ethicists, political scientists, and even lawyers themselves. Read: bit.ly/RBEnablersblog

What has happened in American politics could easily happen in the UK too, writes @davidallengreen.bsky.social.

🗣️ "This creates concerning opportunities for corporate interests to influence policy without public scrutiny.” @rosewhiff.bsky.social warned @thetimes.com that the Parliamentary Knowledge Scheme could create conflicts of interest between businesses and MPs. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

‼️The fact that Labour accepted £40k from a convicted criminal underlines the urgent need for a new law to make political parties check the source of their donations. A basic criminal record check would have made the party think twice about accepting the donation in the first place.

Read the new blog by @devipillay.co.za for @giace.bsky.social!

New blog by Robert Barrington explores the risks of applying anti-terror laws to protest groups & what it could mean for civil society’s role in anti-corruption. Reflects on UK & global trends. 🔗 Read more: bit.ly/3UjVK04 #Governance #CivilSociety #RuleOfLaw

Is the designation of #PalestineAction as a terrorist group relevant to the UK's anti-corruption architecure? Regrettably yes - this new blog explains how blogs.sussex.ac.uk/centre-for-t... @spotlightcorruption.org @transparencyuk.bsky.social @ukanticorruptioncoalition.org

Why it matters whether #PalestineAction are really terrorists - blog exploring implications of using anti-terror laws vs Palestine Action, arguing that applying such laws to campaigners can set dangerous precedent which a future government could abuse to silence its critics and cover up corruption

We’re excited to welcome @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social as the new Programme Director of GI ACE! We’re thrilled to have her leading the next phase of GI ACE’s work to advance integrity and evidence-based anti-corruption strategies. Read more about Liz’s background: giace.org/about/

Just announced: the UK's most famous libel firm, Carter-Ruck, is being prosecuted before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for recklessly enabling a $4bn fraud It's astonishing how reckless Carter-Ruck was - likely causing $$$ more to be lost to fraudsters The full story:

Delighted to have published this paper on the ethics of lawyers who represent kleptocrats - Competing rights, colliding ethics: reconciling client acceptance, state capture and the concept of a public profession www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

📚 Highlights from the CSC Summer Academy! Two days of rich discussion on state capture, grand corruption, integrity in sport, and more. Interested in anti-corruption? Apply to our MA in Corruption & Governance: lnkd.in/e-vEK2sb #AntiCorruption #GoodGovernance #CSC

Many small steps make a long journey. But we now need big steps+a short journey. Loss of trust in politics is a severe problem - ethics & integrity a big contributory cause. Parties talk such a good game on this - but only in Opposition. From that to wardrobe-gate and footie freebies. What a shame.

Government plans for a new Ethics Commission are welcome, but without laws that enshrines the existence of the Ministerial Code of Conduct, ministerial standards will still rely on the ‘good chaps’ theory of government. Our full statement 👇 www.transparency.org.uk/news/new-eth...

"It is unclear how the new financial penalties will be enforced and there are no changes to the rules on the revolving door, which urgently need strengthening" Our thoughts on the Government's new ethics announcements in the @financialtimes.com ⬇️ www.ft.com/content/0ff2...

Really interesting set of research gaps/questions published by NCA and Home Office: nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/who-we-are/p... @spotlightcorruption.org @transparencyuk.bsky.social @bcowdock.bsky.social @duncanhames.bsky.social @suehawley.bsky.social @jamesbj.bsky.social

🎙️ New Kickback episode: Mo Ibrahim joins @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social to talk about founding the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, African-led governance, the IIAG & leadership prize. Inspiring insights on self-reliance & reform. 🎧 Listen: apple.co/46MHZOD | bit.ly/4eWj9Ot | bit.ly/KB136Soundcloud

Dame Margaret Hodge, the UK's anti-corruption champion, is being dispatched to the British Virgin Islands to challenge authorities there on their glacial progress towards promised beneficial ownership transparency reforms www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Laws and rules to counter kleptocracy must have greater extraterritorial reach and/or more effective multijurisdictional partnerships to meet a challenge which is becoming even more transnational in form. With Ricardo Soares de Oliveira. theconversation.com/come-meet-us...

NEW: Over the past 2 decades, more than £60 million has flowed into British politics through exploiting critical loopholes in our election laws. In 2025 alone, close to £700,000 has been handed to political parties through these routes. Read more⬇️: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/how-to-sec...

👇 Good write-up of this exchange by @rowenamason.bsky.social and @kiranstacey.bsky.social in @theguardian.com tonight:

David Lammy has announced a UK-led Summit on illicit financial flows- will it deliver in tackling kleptocracy and corruption? blogs.sussex.ac.uk/centre-for-t... @spotlightcorruption.org @racheldavies.bsky.social @duncanhames.bsky.social @sussexscsc.bsky.social @lizdavidbarrett.bsky.social

From @csc-barrington.bsky.social wherein he discusses what "I will never allow London mansions to be the bitcoin of kleptocrats" (David Lammy) might actually mean. blogs.sussex.ac.uk/centre-for-t...

🔴 How can a captured bank become an engine of grand corruption❓ Our new briefing dives deep into the Congo Hold-Up investigation to reveal the tactics used to embezzle and launder funds through BGFIBank in the Democratic Republic of Congo. acdatacollective.org/work/inside-...

Financial institutions are the arteries of modern economies—but when captured, they become pipelines for illicit wealth. @acdatacollective.bsky.social's new brief "Inside the Congo Hold-Up" shows how BGFIBank DRC was hijacked by the Kabila regime to launder public funds. 🔗 bit.ly/ACDCPolicyBr...

For those following the important McGrail Inquiry into corruption in the government of Gibraltar, it has just announced that the report will be presented to the government this autumn: coircomp.gi/wp-content/u.... Campaigners will rightly expect it to be released to the public at the same time.

🗣️"We cannot credibly aspire to be the anti-corruption capital of the world while the BVI continues to avoid proper transparency" Important piece from MPs Lloyd Hatton and Sir Andrew Mitchell on the need to end financial secrecy in Britain's Overseas Territories. www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...