How to tackle the UK’s political integrity crisis - today we’re putting out a blog about the state of play on #ethics reform, what needs to happen, and a briefing on how Australia tackled its crisis CSPL PACAC Committee Constitution Unit Institute for Government Transparency International UK

🚨 With the public’s trust in our politicians at rock bottom, how can the UK get to grips with the current lack of political integrity?
✍️ In our latest blog, Susan Hawley makes 4 recommendations that are needed to achieve real change. A 🧵:
spotlightcorruption.org/uk-tackle-poli…

🚨Government transparency plunges to the lowest level ever

🔴Departments and government agencies granted just 34% of “resolvable” Freedom of Information requests in full last year
🔴 Cabinet Office data admits this is “the lowest figure since monitoring began in 2005”
🔴 Public…

Cameron held the highest office this country can offer anyone - and still ended up shilling for foreign governments afterwards.

A law is now needed to place a lifetime ban on UK government ministers working for foreign states.

My case: telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/0…

Here's a vintage example of FOI vandalism I've been dealing with.

The department: David Cameron’s Foreign Office.
The subject: David Cameron’s lobbying career.

🧵

Hurray! Can’t wait to see this out

👏Great to see strong proposals for reforms to regulating #integrity in public life from Constitution Unit, launched today, in light of their finding that just 6% of public thinks current system is working:
ucl.ac.uk/constitution-u…

This is positive. #greensill faces director ban after great work by ⁦Cynthia O’Murchú⁩ ⁦Financial Times⁩ - but will he also face criminal investigation by ⁦Serious Fraud Office (SFO)⁩ if there are grounds and will ⁦⁦Insolvency Service⁩ be seeking compensation?? on.ft.com/3wO4OSo

As two men are acquitted of paying bribes on #arms contracts with Saudi Arabia - bribes that Airbus admitted to paying - we need an independent inquiry into evidence of authorisation and high level knowledge by government and a National Audit Office audit into Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 accounts.

Trust in political parties in UK has dropped to just 12%. There is so so much they need to be doing to restore it but they could start by cleaning up their act around donations to show they won’t take dodgy money
on.ft.com/3uPThkN

.Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project has won an intermediary ruling in what the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition called a SLAPP suit designed to harass reporters. Lawyers for Mr. Hawrami, the former Kurdish oil minister, asked the court for a summary judgment against us. It was rejected. antislapp.uk/2024/02/27/the…

👇This guy! What a brave, gripping read #cuckooland is. ⁦Tom Burgis⁩ has turned one man (Amersi)s attempt to silence and belittle him into a deep dive into his business dealings and connections with the UK’s political elite. A must read - go buy your copy today!

Awe inspiring bravery of those who, like Navalny did, continue to criticise Putin regime from within Russia - Financial Times story on Oleg Orlov who has called out Navalny’s death as murder, Putin’s rule as fascism and now faces jail. on.ft.com/3TbQGLm

Culture wars have consequences.
Divisive politics have consequences.
Political posturing has consequences.
Peddling conspiracy theories has consequences.
Sending out messages that some of our fellow citizens are fair game has consequences.
It’s time for us to come together, to…

*** NEW BOOK ***

Welcome to CUCKOOLAND. Where the rich own the truth.

My new book. Out in February. Pre-order your copy now: lnkfi.re/AmSBLr

This time next week a fabulous new book by Tom Burgis will have hit the shelves. I had the honour of reading it late last year. Since then it's been getting so many rave reviews including from Oliver Bullough who called it 'perhaps the most urgent and important book of the year'

Does the UK have a corruption problem?

This week’s New Economy Brief takes a deeper look at recent scandals and asks whether eroded public sector capacity and a lack of regulation is creating the conditions for dodgy procurement deals, bribery, and fraud.
neweconomybrief.net/the-digest/cor…

A hugely welcome report from Spotlight on Corruption.

For as long as I can remember, top executives have been able to disappear into the night whenever they have overseen wrongdoing or economic crime.

We need the tools to prosecute & hold to account complicit senior executives.

Our new report out today on the UK’s senior executive accountability gap when it comes to corporate economic crime. Looking forward to discussing with APPG on Anti-Corruption & Responsible Tax Margaret Hodge Lord Tyrie and Dr Roger Barker from IoD

As we highlighted as 2024 kicked into action, a new #AntiCorruptionChampion is critical for overseeing delivery of the govt’s much delayed Anti-Corruption Strategy: (2/5) spotlightcorruption.org/the-uks-new-an…