@duncanhames
Director of Policy @TransparencyUK.bsky.social, governor at Westminster Foundation for Democracy, JRRT director, and former MP (2010-15). Husband to @joswinson.bsky.social, Dad to 3 boys, and recent King’s war studies MA. All views here are my own etc.
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.
Shocking findings from the COVID PPE fast lane - this time Tory peer, Lord Chadlington.
❌ 3 breaches of Lords rules:
1. providing parliamentary services in return for payment or reward
2. failing to co-operate with previous investigations
3. failure to “act on his personal honour”
Full report👇🏻
This really is very good news. Good to see Labour changing its mind and restoring the Electoral Commission’s independence
Looking forward to this:
Concerns with China's approach to political engagement here in the UK, and vulnerabilities to it in our political system, just aren't going away:
Our thanks to all the MPs in this video. Will yours be joining them in today’s debate?
Ask them to back a cap on political donations:
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:
Hannah Spencer walking into Westminster, sucking her teeth, tutting, and muttering "tell you what, you've had some cowboys in here."
Do you think there should be a limit on how much money anyone can hand over to their favoured politicians?
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.
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:
Edward Lucas is dead right. If Epstein had been British he’d never have been exposed. Our libel law is an ongoing disgrace.
www.thetimes.com/article/1786...
Reminds me of the Bell Pottinger collapse in 2017. I wonder if management buy-outs of different offices will follow?
What does effective altruism mean to you?
Your charity perhaps buying a country manor house for £17m for educational events, and selling less than four years later for under £6m?
If @thamesvalleypolice.bsky.social decide not to investigate allegations about Andrew's role as UK Trade Envoy, then it could fall to the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Want to do something about corruption in politics, while making it harder for corrupt criminals to launder their stolen wealth? I have great news:
📢 We're hiring! 🎉
@transparencyuk.bsky.social is looking for a new Advocacy Officer to join our team. Apply now www.transparency.org.uk/who-we-are/w...
📺"What's happened here warrants investigation, and its important we get to the bottom of that".
@duncanhames.bsky.social spoke with Channel 4 News on revelations that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor tried to organise a meeting with Muammar Gaddafi for Jeffrey Epstein, at Epstein's request.
More ⤵️
🎦 MONEY TALKS 🎦
Yesterday, the Government introduced a bill aiming to stop foreign money influencing British elections.
The problem, though, isn't where the super-rich are from, but that money - from here and abroad - can buy access to power and influence.
More from @duncanhames.bsky.social ⤵️
🔴 Exclusive: Corporate donations British parties tripled over last three elections
But here's key thing: almost none is from FTSE500/listed companies
It's almost all companies controlled by super-wealthy individuals, or small, opaque firms
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/revealed-c...
They haven’t heard you yet.
Please add your voice you this call:
While we go about stoppping foreign billionnaires buying-up politics, how about we stop anyone from doing it?
Quite astonishing that a businessman as successful as he, can publicly wade into a policy debate with such a poor grasp of the facts. The inflammatory rhetoric is just as ill-judged.
Be assured, I spend 360 days a year trying to make these very points. Allow me just one week to also ride on this welcome interest in the index our colleagues in Berlin publish?
Of all the many disappointments of the Starmer government, its failure to urgently overhaul the funding regulations of our political system is the one that upsets me most.
If we lose the integrity of our political system, that's it, we're done.
"TI’s report show £48.2m from donors alleged or proven to have bought access and/or honours. The draft new bill (so far) only tinkers, tightening up on foreign donations... Crucially, there is no cap on donations." explains @pollytoynbee.bsky.social today.
"Don’t let this scandal go to waste."
When people say things have been on the slide for a while, this visualisaiton from @taxjusticeuk.bsky.social really shows why:
Indeed. A party invite for public officials, to be held in Mayfair no less, by a company that has recently been awarded a £240m public contract.
The competition would be livid - had there been any.
“The UK government must demonstrate that it is serious about restoring integrity… remove big money from politics, delivering genuinely open government, and ending the cronyism that undermines public trust in our institutions.” Says @danieljbruce.bsky.social of @transparencyuk.bsky.social
