61% of all political donations in the last quarter came from just 14 people Reform took in £9.3m from a handful of super rich donors British democracy is being bought. We urgently need action to take the money out of our politics

👀👀👀donations data for Q1 just dropped on electoral commission the team going through it now, stay tuned as we analyse where all that money for the locals came from

💷 BIG MONEY CORRUPTS UK DEMOCRACY The last election was the most expensive in modern British history. Too often, it's our politics that pays the price. To stop the super-rich buying UK democracy, we need a cap on all donations - and recent polling finds 92% of the public agree. More ⤵️

This Overseas Territories Day, we celebrate the relationship the UK has with its territories but also acknowledge the challenges. Secrecy in jurisdictions such as the BVI and the Cayman Islands continue to facilitate illicit finance at scale. And it comes with a serious human cost. More below ⤵️

Still giddy on last night. Yes, my team won. But really, being in such a huge crowd revelling in unbridled collective joy really is something special. ❣️🔫❣️🔫❣️

One trend Keir Starmer has bucked as PM: the football team he supports winning the league while he's in office Did some Very Serious Analysis of this at Data Bites a few years ago (May 2023) www.youtube.com/live/0j1Mr_o...

💷 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.

The Arsenal. Your Premier League champions.

❤️🏆❤️🏆❤️

can confirm 30 seconds in already popping the fuck off in holloway 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

Politics should not be for sale:

🗣️ "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 ⬇️

Christopher Harborne is a new entry on the Sunday Times rich list top ten - worth £18 billion. He bought Reform for 0.1% of his fortune...

Too often, commentary suggests big money has always been in UK politics. But the scale of money in UK politics is now at levels unseen. In 2024, over £90m was spent in the election. This is an 80% increase in only a decade. The UK needs a donation cap to stop this surge before it gets worse.

i want to cry i dont think im happy maybe im happy maybe am i dont know what was that honestly honestly should have a fckn public health warning on arsenal rn

my poor lil heart cant take that again oh my oh my oh my

Meanwhile, I'm still reeling from the fact that Richard Tice can't find it in him to condemn someone for saying that Nigerians should be melted down to fill potholes.

😂😂😂

Add voting on a weekend + counting for all jurisdictions at the same time…

I genuinely can’t believe that we are in the Champions League final. I hadn’t fully absorbed that was the semi-final until minute 89.

🗣️ “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 ⤵️

Today, @tbij.bsky.social launches Voices For Transparency, a photo series showing the human stories behind corporate secrecy in the UK's CDOTs. 🌏 Ahead of the Illicit Finance Summit, the UK must end offshore secrecy & lead by example in the global fight against corruption. 🔗 Full series below ⤵️

Evereretonnnnnnn!!!!!!!

🕊️ Today is World Press Freedom Day. A free media is essential to hold power to account. Yet around the world, journalists continue to face intimidation, threats, and even death. 🗣️ We call on all governments to build a world where those that uncover corruption and injustice are safe.

Lobbying by powerful firms should at the very least be out in the open. But I’ve discovered big tech execs have been secretly meeting with a key Number 10 advisor. My exclusive for the Guardian 1/2 www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Feel like Farage failing to declare a £5 million donation from 'Bitcoin billionaire Christopher Harborne' before standing in the 2024 general election should be a bigger story

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.

💷 Big money in UK politics is growing In 2015, only 1% of private donations came from companies & individuals giving £1m+. 📈But by 2024? It surged to over 35%. It's time for MPs to show they're serious about restoring trust in politics & end political parties' dependence on the super rich.

💰DONATION CAPS NEEDED This week, Parliament heard from democracy experts scrutinising the Gov’s Election Bill. And the message was clear: big money is eroding trust in politics. Unlimited donations enable super-rich donors to buy influence and access to power. ❌It's time for MPs to stop it.

🔴 SCOOP: Remember Labour Together paid PR firm APCO £36,000 to investigate journalists? Now the firm has been reported to Serious Fraud Office + senior APCO executive told a freelance contractor to destroy evidence of Labour Together work NEW on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/labour-tog...

🌏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 ⤵

Last chance to grab a ticket to hear us discuss what’s to be done about dirty money, in Whitehall tomorrow evening:

Watch the full video ⤵️ youtu.be/U6qOcnAILHM

Ten years since the Panama Papers today so figured a good chance to do my first foray into something a bit longer (not too long, promise! 😂). It was a huge moment in the fight against corruption so do give it a watch and let me know what you think!

🎥 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 ⤵️

💷 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.

🚨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 ⤵️

📈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.

Great article, greatest game ❤️ (just don’t ask about my beloved wests tigers 🐅)

📺 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 ⤵️

Great to see former PM John Major again backing capping political donations!

💷Committee stage today for the Rep. of the Peoples Bill Absolutely crucial we call time on money buying influence and access to power More ⤵️

My bad 😂😂😂

🎬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 ⤵️

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🚨 PM tasks the Ethics & Integrity Commission with reforming lobbying rules. While this is welcome, the Committee on Standards in Public Life has already made recommendations that have gathered dust. ⚖️ The UK needs real change and not just another exercise responding to the most recent scandal.

cherry blossom in holloway

🚨 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.