As an #AntiCorruption campaigner in the UK, I’m often told ‘this couldn’t happen here’ and that corruption is only a problem in ‘far off places’. This embezzlement case, close to the then heart of Scottish govt, proves no country can be complacent.

🗣️ “When government transparency is treated as a tick-box exercise, or ignored altogether, this undermines our right to know how decisions are made and leaves room for undue influence." Duncan Hames speaking with Ethan Shone at openDemocracy on why the UK needs to end lobbying behind closed doors.

💷 BIG MONEY CORRUPTS UK POLITICS In 2015, £1m+ donations made up just 1% of private political donations. By 2024? They made up more than a third. Today, it was put straight to the PM: the Election's Bill doesn't go far enough. It’s well past time to cap donations & end big money in politics.

🔴 NEW: Justice secretary David Lammy has told Parliament the government will "bring forward legislation" to tackle Slapps - abusive lawsuits used by oligarchs and the super-rich. Comments come in response to Democracy for Sale's recent investigation: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/we-investi...

📝"There is a clear public interest in knowing who funds our politicians, and therefore who they may be indebted to when they secure positions of power." @stevejgoodrich.bsky.social writes on how Nigel Farage's failure to declare his £5m gift show the UK's political finance laws are broken. More ⤵️

🗣️ "The commission has created a giant regulatory black hole that we're now proposing to fill before it does untold damage.” Steve Goodrich speaking w/ Cat Neilan on Lloyd Hatton MP from the @appgonacrt.bsky.social pushing to ensure MPs report donations received before entering Parliament. More ⬇️

🚨INQUIRY INTO £5M GIFT Transparency matters. MPs are required to declare gifts soon after entering Parliament. But no amount of paperwork fixes a political system awash with cash. As long as mega donations continue, big money will corrupt our politics. It’s time to cap donations. Read more ⤵️

In that case, I wonder if this income is taxable? BBC: Farage says £5m gift a reward for Brexit campaigning:

“Our political system has left the door open to the powerful few… We’ll need bold legislation – starting with the Representation of the People Bill – to close that door.” writes Matt Gallagher in West Country Voices.

Want to join us at @transparencyuk.bsky.social In the fight against #corruption? I'm looking for an outstanding candidate to become our Head of Development and Partnerships. More details via Prospectus Recruitment: www.prospect-us.co.uk/job/194801-h... #AntiCorruption

A £5,000,000 gift from the party’s largest backer, is neither ‘purely personal’ nor a commercial loan. It is without precedent.

🗣️ “Lobbying behind closed doors enables outside interests to influence our politics without public scrutiny.” Rose Zussman in The Guardian following Tom Wall's revelations of 16 previously undeclared meetings between US tech execs & a senior Starmer advidser. More below ⤵️

The rules are very clear. MPs are required declare gifts like this soon after being elected. The election was back in July 2024. If an MP owes their personal security to a multi-million pound benefactor, you have the right to know.

🔄⌛Time to reset standards in politics⌛🔄 The ongoing Mandelson scandal shouldn't be just another political storm, but a turning point for change. The Committee on Standards in Public Life has already set out recommendations for reform that can start restoring trust in our politics. More ⤵️

This might be of interest, especially if you've been despairing at the car crash in Westminster this week. I'm in, are you? cleanupwestminster.org

🌏The UK is hosting the International Illicit Finance Summit in June. But for it to succeed, the UK needs to get it's own house in order. Yesterday, @steffanaquarone.bsky.social highlighted how the UK needs real financial transparency to stop dirty money in our Overseas Territories. More ⤵️

❌ The Mandelson-Epstein emails again highlighted how the UK's lobbying transparency regime is woefully inadequate. Poor transparency allows well-connected individuals and companies with deep pockets to influence decisions that should be made in the public interest. More below ⤵

Did you catch Newsnight this week? This from @elliechowns.bsky.social is on the money:

🗣️“Criminals can buy from developers off-plan and in bulk, often with fewer questions asked than in the resale market, and then generate apparently legitimate rental income”. @bcowdock.bsky.social in @occrp.org on how new builds can attract criminals looking to launder their money. More below ⤵

🎥 10 years ago, the Panama Papers exposed corruption to the world. It uncovered billions of suspect funds moving through the global economy and how corrupt elites were hiding their stolen wealth. Since then, progress has been made but the flow of dirty money remains. 🔗Full link in comments ⤵️

🗣️“You name a jurisdiction where people have earned a lot of money through questionable means, it ends up in London property”. @stevejgoodrich.bsky.social speaking with the @wsj.com on the extensive London property holdings linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. More ⤵️

💷 DONATION CAPS NEEDED Mega donations buy influence, honours, and access to power. It erodes public trust and empowers the super rich. Off the back of the Rycroft Review & the Elections Bill, MPs are becoming louder on the threat this poses to our politics. ⏱️ It's time to put an end to it.

In recommending a welcome £100,000 cap on donations from British overseas voters, Rycroft states ‘these individuals have the opportunity to make potentially game-changing donations’ The same applies to wealthy donors still resident in the UK. A universal cap is needed. #UKPolitics

🔴 Labour has announced a moratorium on political donations in cryptocurrency and a cap on donations from Britons living abroad. But if we don't think foreign oligarchs should buy our politics, shouldn't stop the domestic super rich too? New by me: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/has-labour...

🚨Gov announces a moratorium on crypto donations and donation caps on overseas voters These are two positive steps for our democracy. But as Steve Goodrich highlights, "big money from a UK-based mega-donor poses the same risk to the integrity of our politics as from one based overseas". More ⤵️

As news slips out from the independent Rycroft Review of foreign financial interference in UK politics, I told Politics Home how - without a donations cap - we are trying to secure the house while the door is left wide open:

📈The share of private political donations from individuals and companies giving £1m+ has surged from just 1% in 2015 to 35% in 2024. That's a 35x increase in under a decade and fuels corruption risks and foreign interference in UK politics. 💷 It's time to end the era of big money in UK politics.

📅 NEXT WEEK At next week's @oecd-ocde.bsky.social Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum, we're looking forward to convening discussions on illicit finance & hosting an event on integrity in EU defence policy (details below). 📧If you're attending, please reach out to connect #OECDIntegrity

📺 Donation caps needed to protect our politics Yesterday @duncanhames.bsky.social made the case to Parliament on why it's time for a donation cap. Watch below to hear how donation caps are widely used globally and would not stop political parties campaigning effectively ⤵️

Parliament's Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy calls for an immediate ban on cryptocurrency donations to political parties & a new central police unit for Political Finance Enforcement. committees.parliament.uk/committee/11... #AntiCorruption #UKPolitics

📆TODAY This afternoon, @duncanhames.bsky.social will give evidence to Parliament on why the Representation of the Peoples Bill needs stronger measures to stop big money corrupting democracy. 🎥Watch to hear why ending mega donations is needed for the Gov' to really restore trust in politics.

Colleagues and I question the merits of yet another review of shortcomings in UK government lobbying & transparency arrangements. As @duncanhames.bsky.social told @politico.eu: ‘Ministers already have a blueprint for reform’. www.politico.eu/newsletter/p... #AntiCorruption #Lobbying

🎬THE MONEY BEHIND OUR POLITICS Almost £100 million was spent at the previous election, but where does all that money actually come from? Watch @rosewhiff.bsky.social answer this question and explain why it is such a threat to our democracy. More below ⤵️

Iran’s political leaders have invested heavily in UK real estate in recent years. Lawyers, estate agents and banks should have formed our first line of defence against illicit wealth arriving here, but it appears to have been breached repeatedly.

📺 "𝙋𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙣'𝙨 𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙟𝙤𝙮𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙢𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙥𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙚𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙑𝙄." Steff Aquarone MP from the @appgonacrt.bsky.social on the British Overseas Territories enabling the flow of dirty money. Ending offshore secrecy is critical to stopping Russian influence. More ⤵

High-profile arrests by the UK’s (relatively) new Domestic Corruption Unit at City of London Police. #AntiCorruption www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

🚨 𝗔 𝗪𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 🚨 Four years after the independence of the Electoral Commission was curtailed, the Government has listened & will end Ministers' ability to influence our elections watchdog. 🎉 This is a significant & welcome step in protecting our elections from interference.

Now is the time to fix UK politics’ pernicious big money problem…

Later today, MPs will debate the UK Government's planned reforms to elections and campaign financing. Lots to welcome, but there is an elephant in the room. We are calling for a cap on donations to take big money's influence our of our politics. See our briefing, and please do share:

🆕 "In 2015, only 1 per cent of private donations came from companies and individuals giving £1 million or more; by 2024, this had risen to 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱." New research from @rosewhiff.bsky.social & @stevejgoodrich.bsky.social on the super rich's growing influence on UK politics. More ⤵️

*Love* this video from @transparencyuk.bsky.social - what a compelling case for taking big money out of politics. And who is that devilishly handsome Irish chap talking such sense in Parliament half way through 🤣

🎥 BIG MONEY IS CORRUPTING OUR POLITICS 🎥 UK politics has a big money problem 💷 The super-rich use money to buy honours, influence and access to power. It erodes trust in our politics and undermines our democracy. The UK needs a cap on donations to end big money in our politics. More below ⤵️

Good to see new sanctions from the UK’s Foreign Office, joining the dots between state capture dismantling democracy in Georgia and the enablers of the Kremlin internationally projected propaganda.

Successive UK governments have avoided taking bold measures that are sorely needed to rebuild trust in politics. In this febrile moment of scrutiny of various failures in public standards, surely now would be a good time to act. www.transparency.org.uk/news/when-co... #AntiCorruption #UKPolitics

Russian firms have routed $8bn of trade through British island territories since invasion of Ukraine

📺 "It takes more than warm words to actually rebuild trust. It takes definitive action." Our Chief Executive Daniel Bruce joined Ian Collins and Clark Vasey on Talk TV to discuss the arrest of Peter Mandelson and how we rebuild trust in politics.

This is the @channel4news.bsky.social investigation just mentioned in the debate this afternoon in the House of Commons on the appointment of the then Prince Andrew as Special Representative for Trade and Investment:

🗣️"If the UK is serious about confronting Russian kleptocracy, it must finish the job at home." Mia Paukovic, Coalition Manager at @ukanticorruptioncoalition.org, on the critical gaps that allow dirty money from Russia to infiltrate the UK. Full statement below ⤵️

🗣️ "Any proven abuse of a senior public role for private ends, financial or otherwise, is corruption that erodes public trust in our institutions." Read our full statement on the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office. www.transparency.org.uk/news/transpa...