Spotlight on Corruption
@spotlightcorruption.org
📤 23617
📥 811
📝 1129
Shining a light on the UK's role in corruption at home and abroad
https://linktr.ee/endcorruptionuk
pinned post!
💥The first crypto donation to a UK political party has been made – but what should happen next?
@timpicton.bsky.social
sets out what guidance the
@electoralcommission.org.uk
could issue right now, and takes a look at how the forthcoming
#ElectionsBill
could deal with potential future risks.
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Crypto donations: how to tackle the new dark money threat - Spotlight on Corruption
The first-ever crypto donation to a UK political party has now been made, according to recent media reports. We don’t yet know the source or value of the
https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/crypto-donations-dark-money-threat/
30 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
Standards Regulators 2, Government 0 😵💫 It is not surprising that two standards regulators have gently reprimanded both the Prime Minister and the Culture Minister over the appointment of the head of the new football regulator given the poor state of conflicts of interest management in government.
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Keir Starmer expresses ‘sincere regret’ over appointment of Labour donor to football watchdog
Prime minister apologises for rubber-stamping decision to make David Kogan head of regulator
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/nov/12/keir-starmer-apologises-appointment-labour-donor-football-watchdog-david-kogan
1 day ago
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Standards Regulators 2, Government 0 😵💫 It is not surprising that two standards regulators have gently reprimanded both the Prime Minister and the Culture Minister over the appointment of the head of the new football regulator given the poor state of conflicts of interest management in government.
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Keir Starmer expresses ‘sincere regret’ over appointment of Labour donor to football watchdog
Prime minister apologises for rubber-stamping decision to make David Kogan head of regulator
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/nov/12/keir-starmer-apologises-appointment-labour-donor-football-watchdog-david-kogan
1 day ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
💷 Yesterday the Court of Appeal heard a renewed application for leave to appeal by high-profile Nigerian politician James Ibori against a £101.5m confiscation order after he laundered the proceeds of
#corruption
into the UK. This very long-running case is one of the UK’s biggest-ever confiscations.
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Press release: £101 million of Ibori loot confiscated a decade after conviction - Spotlight on Corruption
Today a London court ordered the confiscation of £101.5 million from high-profile Nigerian politician James Ibori who laundered his corrupt loot into the UK
https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/101-million-of-ibori-loot-confiscated/
3 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
Index on Censorship
3 days ago
Reporting on economic crime is, on paper, protected against
#SLAPPs
. But do the protections work? Dan Neidle is looking to find out. Read more from the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition here:
antislapp.uk/2025/11/12/d...
@danneidle.bsky.social
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The UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition stands in solidarity with Dan Neidle as he uses the UK’s only anti-SLAPP protections to challenge a legal action brought against him. - UK Anti-Slapp Coalition
The UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition stands in solidarity with Dan Neidle as he applies to test England and Wales' only anti-SLAPP protections following a legal action brought against him.
https://antislapp.uk/2025/11/12/dan-neidle-eccta/
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💷 Yesterday the Court of Appeal heard a renewed application for leave to appeal by high-profile Nigerian politician James Ibori against a £101.5m confiscation order after he laundered the proceeds of
#corruption
into the UK. This very long-running case is one of the UK’s biggest-ever confiscations.
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Press release: £101 million of Ibori loot confiscated a decade after conviction - Spotlight on Corruption
Today a London court ordered the confiscation of £101.5 million from high-profile Nigerian politician James Ibori who laundered his corrupt loot into the UK
https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/101-million-of-ibori-loot-confiscated/
3 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
Oliver Bullough
4 days ago
Roll up! Excited to be hosting a new kleptoscope at London's Frontline Club, with Sue Hawley, of
@spotlightcorruption.org
, Jess Garland of
@electoralreform.bsky.social
and
@liambyrnemp.bsky.social
. We'll be talking about how to save democracy from big money.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/kleptoscop...
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Kleptoscope: Big Money in Little Britain
How to protect our democracy?
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/kleptoscope-big-money-in-little-britain-tickets-1905444458669
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Spotlight on Corruption
🚨 A significant milestone in the Serious Fraud Office’s prosecution of former Glencore employees today as four individuals pleaded not guilty to
#corruption
charges relating to the UK mining giant’s operations in Africa. 🌍
5 days ago
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🚨 A significant milestone in the Serious Fraud Office’s prosecution of former Glencore employees today as four individuals pleaded not guilty to
#corruption
charges relating to the UK mining giant’s operations in Africa. 🌍
5 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
UK Anti-Corruption Coalition
9 days ago
🚨 NEW: We wrote to the Chancellor, urging her not to leave billions lost to illicit finance and tax-related crimes on the table ahead of the upcoming budget.
www.ukanticorruptioncoalition.org/work/our-let...
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Our letter to the Chancellor: Don’t leave billions lost to illicit finance and tax-related crimes on the table — UK Anti-Corruption Coalition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday 6 November 2025 – Following her speech on Tuesday, and ahead of the November 26 budget, members of the Illicit Finance Working Group have written to Chancellor Rache...
https://www.ukanticorruptioncoalition.org/work/our-letter-to-the-chancellor-dont-leave-billions-lost-to-illicit-finance-and-tax-related-crimes-on-the-table
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Spotlight on Corruption
UK Anti-Corruption Coalition
9 days ago
🗣️ Yesterday, MPs of all stripes spoke out against the ongoing financial secrecy in certain UK Overseas Territories. They called urgent attention to its devastating impacts on their constituents, and pushed the government to act. 🧵⬇️
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Spotlight on Corruption
🔥Hot on the heels of govt’s big decision to shake up
#AML
supervision, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has revealed just 13% of law firms inspected this year were fully compliant with
#AML
rules. This brings home the urgency of reforms to ensure lawyers don’t enable dirty money
bit.ly/4oOXaN1
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A third of inspected law firms breach anti-money laundering rules
The Solicitors Regulation Authority imposed fines totalling £1.5m but the watchdog is having responsibility for monitoring compliance stripped from it
http://bit.ly/4oOXaN1
10 days ago
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🔥Hot on the heels of govt’s big decision to shake up
#AML
supervision, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has revealed just 13% of law firms inspected this year were fully compliant with
#AML
rules. This brings home the urgency of reforms to ensure lawyers don’t enable dirty money
bit.ly/4oOXaN1
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A third of inspected law firms breach anti-money laundering rules
The Solicitors Regulation Authority imposed fines totalling £1.5m but the watchdog is having responsibility for monitoring compliance stripped from it
http://bit.ly/4oOXaN1
10 days ago
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💥 Great to see
@philbrickellmp.bsky.social
flag the need for the Ministerial Code & Independent Adviser to be on a statutory footing. The Public Office (Accountability) Bill – or
#HillsboroughBill
– is a crucial opportunity for the govt to finally act on this key recommendation from ethics experts.
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11 days ago
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👇 Latest news on National Crime Agency pay is bad news for the fight against international
#corruption
and
#EconomicCrime
. Government accepted that NCA officers should get a 4.4% payrise but with no new funds that means reducing the agency’s recruitment to fund better pay.
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Union warns over National Crime Agency funding shortfall
Home Office minister confirms higher pay award has led to recruitment slowdown
https://www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/article/union-warns-over-national-crime-agency-investment
11 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
👏 Great to see the launch of this new
#sanctions
enforcement page bringing together key information from enforcement bodies in one place. With responsibility for sanctions spread across so many agencies, this consolidated data is crucial for communicating the lessons from enforcement action:
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Sanctions enforcement action
Case studies and key lessons that industry can learn from enforcement actions taken by the enforcement bodies under UK sanctions regulations.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sanctions-enforcement-action
12 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
🧑⚖️ Today former bosses of gambling business Entain made their first appearance at Southwark Crown Court, on charges of
#bribery
. This includes Entain’s former Chief Executive, former Chair and former Chief Financial Officer, among others.
12 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
Usagi
12 days ago
That's according to a report by
@spotlightcorruption.org
published earlier this year, which highlighted the flaws in the existing Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS) and called for its reconfiguration into a Economic Crime Fighting Fund solution.
www.spotlightcorruption.org/wp-content/u...
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https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Reinvestment-report-01.11.pdf
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Spotlight on Corruption
UK Anti-Corruption Coalition
12 days ago
🚨 1 in 3 law firms are not compliant with anti-money laundering rules. 📈 But, the government has recently taken steps to address this issue. 💷 If implemented correctly, this move could be transformational for the UK's dirty money problem. Learn more:
ukanticorruptioncoalition.org/work/release...
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🧑⚖️ Today former bosses of gambling business Entain made their first appearance at Southwark Crown Court, on charges of
#bribery
. This includes Entain’s former Chief Executive, former Chair and former Chief Financial Officer, among others.
12 days ago
1
7
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👏 Great to see the launch of this new
#sanctions
enforcement page bringing together key information from enforcement bodies in one place. With responsibility for sanctions spread across so many agencies, this consolidated data is crucial for communicating the lessons from enforcement action:
loading . . .
Sanctions enforcement action
Case studies and key lessons that industry can learn from enforcement actions taken by the enforcement bodies under UK sanctions regulations.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sanctions-enforcement-action
12 days ago
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👇 Crucial court ruling dismissing a challenge to the Financial Conduct Authority’s decision to name a company it is investigating for suspected financial wrongdoing. The FCA wanted to protect investors and consumers, ensure market stability and prevent malpractice.
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https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2025/2614.pdf
19 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
Transparency International UK
22 days ago
Alongside our friends
@ukanticorruptioncoalition.org
,
@spotlightcorruption.org
,
@rusi.bsky.social
and allies in the private sector, we have worked tirelessly to compel Government action. This progress is a testament to that collective effort.
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Transparency International UK
22 days ago
Changes announced this week to overhaul the UK’s anti-money laundering supervision mark a major step towards fixing our broken system for tackling illicit finance.
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Spotlight on Corruption
👇 If you're in Cambridge on 30 October, come along to this important panel event featuring our executive director
@suehawley.bsky.social
– it is sure to be a fascinating discussion! If you can't make it in person, you can sign up for the livestream via the link below too.
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30 days ago
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👇 Crypto donations are back in the news. For a quick summary of why they could be problematic and what could be done about them, check out this article from last week by
@timpicton.bsky.social
.
add a skeleton here at some point
22 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
Richard Moorhead
22 days ago
Very interesting point. What looked on the face of it to be serious and obvious misconduct related to a massive fraud appears not to have been dealt with by the Bar Standards Board or the SRA. Is the right? Why if so?
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Spotlight on Corruption
Radix Big Tent - RBT
22 days ago
What we've been reading this week...📰👓👀 Including: cryptocurrency's first political donation, the 'Sterling 20', Labour losing in Caerphilly and cutting affordable housing targets in London...
@spotlightcorruption.org
@labourlist.bsky.social
www.radixbigtent.org.uk/news-comment...
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Media Review
https://www.radixbigtent.org.uk/news-comment/media-review/
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Spotlight on Corruption
⚖️ Yesterday the UK Supreme Court ruled that P&ID, the company that tried to use arbitration proceedings to extort over $11bn from Nigeria, must pay the hefty costs order against them in 🇬🇧 sterling, as opposed to 🇳🇬 naira. This could be up to £44 million.
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Process & Industrial Developments Limited (Appellant) v The Federal Republic of Nigeria (Respondent) - UK Supreme Court
When, if ever, should a court make an award of costs in a foreign currency?
https://supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2024-0117
23 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
👇 Great reporting from
@catneilan.bsky.social
and
@theobserveruk.bsky.social
. We'll be covering the sentencing of Nathan Gill next month after he pleaded guilty to 8️⃣ Russia-linked
#bribery
charges in a case that has huge implications for addressing
#foreigninterference
in UK politics.
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23 days ago
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👇 Great reporting from
@catneilan.bsky.social
and
@theobserveruk.bsky.social
. We'll be covering the sentencing of Nathan Gill next month after he pleaded guilty to 8️⃣ Russia-linked
#bribery
charges in a case that has huge implications for addressing
#foreigninterference
in UK politics.
add a skeleton here at some point
23 days ago
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Cat Neilan
23 days ago
Exclusive: Two of Nathan Gill's fellow Ukip/Brexit Party MEPs used the same pro-Russia talking points in European Parliament, after joining him on a paid-for trip to Kyiv
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
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‘Jail is inevitable’ for former Reform politician awaitin...
Two other MEPs joined Nathan Gill on a trip paid for by pro-Russian interests – and 6 weeks later repeated his talking points in Parliament
https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/nathan-gill-jail-former-reform-politician-awaiting-bribery-sentence-mep
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⚖️ Yesterday the UK Supreme Court ruled that P&ID, the company that tried to use arbitration proceedings to extort over $11bn from Nigeria, must pay the hefty costs order against them in 🇬🇧 sterling, as opposed to 🇳🇬 naira. This could be up to £44 million.
loading . . .
Process & Industrial Developments Limited (Appellant) v The Federal Republic of Nigeria (Respondent) - UK Supreme Court
When, if ever, should a court make an award of costs in a foreign currency?
https://supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2024-0117
23 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
💥 Here's
@spotlightcorruption.org
’s response to today’s big announcement on
#AML
supervisory reform from the lightning-fast typing fingers of
@jamesbj.bsky.social
and Helen Taylor. These far-reaching reforms could deliver a much-needed step change – but only if the FCA gets the resources it needs.
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A super vision? FCA tapped to become anti-money laundering super-regulator - Spotlight on Corruption
Today the Treasury announced long-awaited plans for a radical overhaul of the UK’s anti-money laundering (AML) supervisory regime which will see the Financial
https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/anti-money-laundering-super-regulator/
25 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
🚨 Major announcement today in the
#AML
world as the Treasury announces sweeping reforms to Anti-Money Laundering supervision.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68f609...
25 days ago
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💥 Here's
@spotlightcorruption.org
’s response to today’s big announcement on
#AML
supervisory reform from the lightning-fast typing fingers of
@jamesbj.bsky.social
and Helen Taylor. These far-reaching reforms could deliver a much-needed step change – but only if the FCA gets the resources it needs.
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A super vision? FCA tapped to become anti-money laundering super-regulator - Spotlight on Corruption
Today the Treasury announced long-awaited plans for a radical overhaul of the UK’s anti-money laundering (AML) supervisory regime which will see the Financial
https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/anti-money-laundering-super-regulator/
25 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
Rachel Davies
25 days ago
This is great news for
@transparencyuk.bsky.social
and our partners on this
@spotlightcorruption.org
@ukanticorruptioncoalition.org
@rusi.bsky.social
A major step forwards in tackling money laundering via the professional sectors 🎉
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Spotlight on Corruption
Phil Brickell MP
25 days ago
Excellent news. For far too long criminals have exploited weaknesses in our money laundering regulations, costing firms billions every year and damaging our reputation as a clean place to do business. Now we need to make sure the new system has the teeth to provide a credible deterrent.
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Spotlight on Corruption
25 days ago
Labour promised to clean up Tory sleaze. That starts with mispent Covid contracts:
labourlist.org/2025/10/covi...
The
#PPEMedpro
case cannot be where the
#CovidClawback
ends. It must be where it begins💪@ukanticorruptioncoalition.org
@transparencyuk.bsky.social
@spotlightcorruption.org
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'Labour promised to clean up Tory sleaze. That starts with mispent Covid contracts' - LabourList
This government came to power on a promise to restore trust in politics. That promise cannot be fulfilled unless it takes on the Covid clawback fight in full.
https://labourlist.org/2025/10/covid-contract-fraud-labour-cleaning-tory-sleaze/
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🚨 Major announcement today in the
#AML
world as the Treasury announces sweeping reforms to Anti-Money Laundering supervision.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68f609...
25 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
⚖️ Last week saw a dramatic twist in the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s
#SLAPPs
case against Hamlins solicitor Christopher Hutchings for allegedly making an improper legal threat against a journalist who wrote about a high-profile corruption scandal involving the theft of billions of dollars. 1/5
26 days ago
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⚖️ Last week saw a dramatic twist in the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s
#SLAPPs
case against Hamlins solicitor Christopher Hutchings for allegedly making an improper legal threat against a journalist who wrote about a high-profile corruption scandal involving the theft of billions of dollars. 1/5
26 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
Usagi
26 days ago
and there's a strong chance our adversaries will use future donations of non-fiat currencies to attack our democratic processes unless (as an example) the Electoral Commission is provided the law enforcement teeth it needs to assess and manage that threat.
bsky.app/profile/spot...
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Spotlight on Corruption
Usagi
26 days ago
Spotlight on Corruption have highlighted the first crypto donation to a UK political party and the mitigations that should be implemented to manage the associated risks of democratic interference via hostile state activity.
bsky.app/profile/spot...
add a skeleton here at some point
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Spotlight on Corruption
💥The first crypto donation to a UK political party has been made – but what should happen next?
@timpicton.bsky.social
sets out what guidance the
@electoralcommission.org.uk
could issue right now, and takes a look at how the forthcoming
#ElectionsBill
could deal with potential future risks.
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Crypto donations: how to tackle the new dark money threat - Spotlight on Corruption
The first-ever crypto donation to a UK political party has now been made, according to recent media reports. We don’t yet know the source or value of the
https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/crypto-donations-dark-money-threat/
30 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
🔥Hot off the press!
@spotlightcorruption.org
’s Court Monitoring team brings you the latest from the
#secretSLAPP
case heard behind closed doors this week, as an ironic twist threatens to undermine public confidence that lawyers will be held to account for abusive legal tactics like
#SLAPPs
.
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Secret SLAPP case damages public confidence in disciplinary action against lawyers - Spotlight on Corruption
There were unprecedented scenes this week at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal as the high-profile prosecution of lawyer Christopher Hutchings by the
https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/secret-slapp-case-damages-confidence/
29 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
Transparency International UK
28 days ago
💷 2013 - 2023: Nearly 25% of political House of Lords nominations were party donors, giving £58m+ collectively. At our event with
@spotlightcorruption.org
at Labour Conference,
@duncanhames.bsky.social
set out why big money's influence on UK democracy is damaging the public's trust. Watch more ⬇️
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🔥Hot off the press!
@spotlightcorruption.org
’s Court Monitoring team brings you the latest from the
#secretSLAPP
case heard behind closed doors this week, as an ironic twist threatens to undermine public confidence that lawyers will be held to account for abusive legal tactics like
#SLAPPs
.
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Secret SLAPP case damages public confidence in disciplinary action against lawyers - Spotlight on Corruption
There were unprecedented scenes this week at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal as the high-profile prosecution of lawyer Christopher Hutchings by the
https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/secret-slapp-case-damages-confidence/
29 days ago
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Spotlight on Corruption
UK Anti-Corruption Coalition
29 days ago
👇 Don't miss our colleague
@timpicton.bsky.social
's cutting edge analysis of the significance of the first ever crypto donation to a political party. 🚨 It's a big moment, entailing big risks for our democracy. Read his piece below.
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📨 Our newsletter went out to subscribers yesterday. It features stories on crypto donations to political parties, the launch of
@ethicsandintegrity.bsky.social
and news of some great public events coming up! ✍️ Sign up at our website to receive future issues:
www.spotlightcorruption.org/newsletter/
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Spotlight on Corruption's latest newsletter is out!
This edition covers crypto donations to political parties, the launch of the new Ethics and Integrity Commission and some exciting public events coming up in the next few weeks.
https://mailchi.mp/spotlightcorruption/spotlight-on-corruption-newsletter-16-october
29 days ago
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📢 Final call for applications for this great fundraising role! 🕦 Application deadline is 23.30 tomorrow. Details in the post below 👇
add a skeleton here at some point
29 days ago
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