UK Anti-Corruption Coalition

🚨 🎁 🚌 You wait for an anti-corruption starter pack and then two come along... ICYM our good friends at @spotlightcorruption.org 's invaluable starter pack earlier this week, here's another... go.bsky.app/Dj9uCxn We will add more accounts as our members and others arrive! #xodus, #anticorruption

🆕 VIDEO More than £2.2bn of suspicious wealth has been invested in Britain’s new-build homes. But developers have no legal duty to check who’s buying or where the money comes from. Who’s really buying Britain’s new-build homes? Watch ⤵️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=t44J...

📢 The third and final episode of "Going, Going, Almost Gone: How the Super-Rich are Buying UK Democracy" is out now. Produced by Transparency International UK and Democracy for Sale, the final episode explores what's at stake in the rise of big money in British politics. ⬇️ Watch via link below

🆕 EPISODE 2: HOW MEGA DONATIONS DESTROY PUBLIC TRUST More than four in five Britons (83%) believe wealthy individuals use political donations to influence the government in their own personal interests. Watch episode 2 now of our new series with @petergeoghegan.bsky.social ⤵

MPs are debating rules on political finance right now. With reports today the Government are considering rejecting any donation cap its imperative we tell MPs it's time to end big money corrupting our politics. Watch this new series that unpacks the story behind the record sums of money.

🌍 Great organizations need great boards. We’re looking for new people to join OCP’s Governing Board and bring fresh perspectives, experience and challenge to our work on better public procurement. 🔗 Apply by 27 Sept www.prospect-us-site.co.uk/open-contrac... #AsiaPacific #Governance #Board

🇬🇧 From banks waving through red flags to tax havens helping criminal cash disappear, Kojo Koram explains how UK enablers helped turn criminal cash in McDonald’s bags into untraceable gold bars in Dubai vaults. taxjustice.uk/campaign/dir... for more about the UK's Dirty Money problem.

COVID-19 INQUIRY: VIP LANE INCREASED "RISK OF ABUSE" £10 billion of public money was wasted and five years later, nobody has yet been held to account. It's critical the Government learn the lessons from this and go further to guard against the risk of corruption in future emergencies. More ⤵️

TODAY The Covid Inquiry is set to release its final report at 12pm An emergency is no excuse for abandoning the rules on public money & no reason for no one to be held to account. Watch our short film on why this matters ⤵️ @ukanticorruptioncoalition.org

🆕 5,000 Covid contracts worth around £45bn. We found 135 worth £15bn carrying red flags for possible corruption. The VIP lane, ruled unlawful, delivered worse PPE at higher prices. The Covid Inquiry reports on Tuesday. Watch our film first ⤵️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlf0...

💷 Big money is corrupting our politics The government says democracy is not for sale - but still won't cap what a mega-donor can give. Stella Creasy's amendment would. We're backing her call for a £100,000 cap on all political donations. ⤵️

💷 Who gives £5 million and expects nothing in return? That's not democracy - it's access for sale. Write to your MP asking them to back a cap on all political donations ⤵ politicsnotforsale.mp.tiuk.justpost.cards

🎬THE MONEY BEHIND OUR POLITICS Big money is corrupting UK politics. And our politics is at records highs with almost £100 million was spent at the previous election. But where does all that money actually come from? More below ⤵️ www.youtube.com/shorts/gUroW...

Spotlight's Executive Director @suehawley.bsky.social is quoted in the @financialtimes.com on the UK government's reported plans for a new "golden visa" scheme. As Sue warns, this would shred any claims that the UK’s is serious about tackling dirty money. Read more:
 www.ft.com/content/7ec3...

📺 CORRUPTION, NOW STREAMING We've been busy building our video capacity to shine a new light on the corruption we're fighting. Exciting content is coming soon. Corruption is a big story though & sometimes 2 mins doesn't cut it. Follow the story. Subscribe ⤵️ www.youtube.com/@Transparenc...

💥Burnham backs public on donation caps Our polling found ⤵️ 🔹 83% of Brits believe wealthy donors use political donations to buy influence 🔹 Nearly half say they would view more favourably a party that introduced a cap & just 7% would view one less favourably. It's time to end mega donations.

#PoliticsNotForSale 35% of political donations now come from the ultra-wealthy. When money dominates politics, ordinary people go unheard. And that's why we need your help. Send a postcard today to tell your MP it's time to end big money corrupting our politics. Details ⤵️

Nigel Farage and Lee Anderson have made more than £1 million from GB News while serving as MPs, according to a new @desmog.com investigation. Spotlight's Kamila Kingstone is quoted in the piece, warning that huge outside earnings raise questions about whose interests MPs are representing.

📆Tuesday 9 June - 4:30pm - MPs debate how to make the Illicit Finance Summit a success Following the Summit's postponement, @steffanaquarone.bsky.social has secured a debate for MPs to push for real progress in the global fight against dirty money. More below ⤵️

💷 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 ⤵️

Our new research estimates at least £325 billion of dirty money flows through the UK every year. UK - especially City of London - remains a global hub for money laundering, corruption & tax abuse. www.theguardian.com/business/202...

1/ The delay to the UK’s Illicit Finance Summit should now be used to deliver a more ambitious and credible push against dirty money. The summit, originally scheduled for 23–24 June, will now be held in December.

💷 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.

1. 🤦‍♀️ It is deeply concerning & frustrating that govt is once again being led down the garden path to reintroduce ‘golden visas’. Last summer, we wrote to the Chancellor with @ukanticorruptioncoalition.org highlighting golden visa’s illicit finance risks & lack of economic benefit. 🧵

📝"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 ⤵️

1. It is very welcome that the Enhancing Financial Services Bill in the #KingsSpeech will provide the legislation needed to strengthen our defences against dirty money in the UK.

🗣️"We have never seen the number [of big donors] this small and the money this big” Duncan Hames in Al Jazeera on politics' dependence on the super rich. 📈 In fact, from 2015 > 2024, £1m+ donations grew from 1% of funding to 35%. We need a donations cap to end big money corrupting our politics.

1. 💰 We welcome the Standards Commissioner’s investigation into whether Nigel Farage should have declared a £5m gift from billionaire Christopher Harborne given shortly before he entered Parliament in 2024. 🧵 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

How healthy is UK democracy? 💭 Free & interactive #webinar, Wed 13th May, 1PM Join Rachel Sylvester, Cat Smith MP, Dominic Grieve KC PC, Paris Habib, and Tom Brake to discuss the Representation of the People Bill 👇 Register and take part 🎟️https://www.radixbigtent.org.uk/events/upgrading-democracy/

1. 👏 Great to see the Serious Fraud Office step up to a global leadership role by hosting an International Conference on Economic Crime last week. #EconomicCrime in the 21st century knows no borders so international cooperation is key to recovering stolen assets and bringing criminals to justice. 🧵

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

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 ⤵️

🔎 The #Mandelson scandal must be a turning point for standards in public life. Our new blog sets out 3 priorities for lasting change: accountability, lobbying reform, and Lords reform. Read more: www.ukanticorruptioncoalition.org/blog/peter-m... #UKPolitics #Transparency

🔎 The #Mandelson scandal must be a turning point for standards in public life. Our new blog sets out 3 priorities for lasting change: accountability, lobbying reform, and Lords reform. Read more: www.ukanticorruptioncoalition.org/blog/peter-m... #UKPolitics #Transparency

🌏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 ⤵️

“Today’s revelations that No10 put the Foreign Office under pressure to put – not just one – but two political allies into key diplomatic roles points to a very concerning ‘jobs for mates’ culture and a deeply cavalier attitude to conflicts of interest..."

NEW from @desmog.com - Nigel Farage has personally accepted at least £675k from foreign governments, companies & donors since becoming an MP. But this isn’t just about one politician. It’s about gaping holes in the UK’s rules on foreign money & political influence. www.desmog.com/2026/04/18/n...

❌ 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 ⤵

MPs advertising products on behalf of private companies, or being brand ambassadors, creates very real conflicts of interest. If the MPs code of conduct doesn't address this, then it's a major gap that needs to be addressed. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

🚨 We’re hiring! 🚨 The UK Anti-Corruption Coalition is seeking a Coalition Engagement and Communications Coordinator to support joint advocacy and impactful communications at a key moment for the UK’s anti-corruption agenda. Apply by 15 April: app.beapplied.com/apply/amv4py...

💸 Dirty money corrodes the rule of law and strengthens authoritarian networks. Tomorrow (April 14), the National Liberal Club hosts a timely panel on combating illicit finance, featuring @duncanhames.bsky.social and @suehawley.bsky.social. 🎟️ Tickets: members.nlc.org.uk/web/pages/ev...

🚨 We’re hiring! 🚨 The UK Anti-Corruption Coalition is seeking a Coalition Engagement and Communications Coordinator to support joint advocacy and impactful communications at a key moment for the UK’s anti-corruption agenda. Apply by 15 April: app.beapplied.com/apply/amv4py...

📅 Ahead of the UK’s Illicit Finance Summit in June, join us on April 14 at the National Liberal Club to discuss combatting dirty money. Great to see UKACC member organisations represented by @suehawley.bsky.social and @duncanhames.bsky.social. 🎟️ Tickets here: members.nlc.org.uk/web/pages/ev...

🆕 BLOG Ten years ago, the Panama Papers revealed how the rich and powerful hide stolen wealth through secret offshore companies. Now the UK is hosting a global summit to tackle illicit finance — but first, it needs to finish cleaning up at home. Read more ⤵️ www.transparency.org.uk/news/ten-yea...