APPG on Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax

💷 Economic crime costs us billions every year, from fraud to money laundering.

But law enforcement budgets haven’t kept pace.

Watch Lord Cromwell make the case for an Economic Crime Fighting Fund, which would give agencies the tools they need by reinvesting more of the cash taken from criminals 👇

Manifesto — APPG on Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax

👉 Our Economic Crime Manifesto II calls for:

📖 Public registers of beneficial ownership in all UK Overseas Territories
🏠 Full transparency of property ownership
💷 A ‘failure to prevent’ offence for money laundering

Read the Manifesto ➡ anticorruption-responsibletax.org/manifesto

We welcome today’s UK-US action disrupting a major online fraud network which was using corporate secrecy in the British Virgin Islands and UK property to stash its dirty money.

It’s a reminder that there is more we can do to crack down on economic crime 👇

ACOBA’s closure: the new process and contact details for applications under the Business Appointments Rules as of Monday 13 October 2025 ACOBA is no longer in operation. Applications for ministers should be sent to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards. Applications for Crown servants should be sent to the Civil service Comm...

👉 Without this, rulebreakers know they will be able to continue to act with impunity, and public trust in politics as a force for good will continue to erode.

www.gov.uk/government/n...

🛑 The closure of ACOBA marks an opportunity to improve standards in public life.

The new Ethics and Integrity Commission must now enforce the rules diligently and effectively 👇

From dirty money to clean politics: our takeaways from conference season — APPG on Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax During conference season this year, anti-corruption was firmly on the agenda. With the Illicit Finance Summit ahead, an anti-corruption strategy due, and reforms in the Elections Bill, there are real ...

That’s a wrap on conference season!

With David Lammy confirming next year’s Illicit Finance Summit, and opportunities to shape the forthcoming Elections Bill, there’s real momentum to make progress in the year ahead.

Full roundup here ⬇️

anticorruption-responsibletax.org/news/2025-co...

💰 While John Penrose explained how dirty money doesn't just flow through the UK; lots is invested in money laundering vehicles eg property, posing a national security threat.

🏛️ He outlined how he hopes the Govt's upcoming Anti-Corruption Strategy includes political ethics and integrity.

👍 @danieljbruce.bsky.social praised the work of previous governments on the two Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Acts and the 2016 Illicit Finance Summit.

❌ He also highlighted work still to be done, including those Overseas Territories yet to open their corporate registries.

🚨 @catneilan.bsky.social discussed foreign interference in our democracy, and the risks of political parties being allowed to take crypto donations.

⛔ The Government's upcoming Elections Bill provides a vital opportunity to clamp down on dirty money and influence from hostile states like Russia.

🤝 He was joined for a wide-ranging discussion by @catneilan.bsky.social, @danieljbruce.bsky.social and former UK Anti-Corruption Champion John Penrose.

🏝️ Sir Andrew was passionate about the need for British Overseas Territories like the British Virgin Islands to open up their corporate registries.

🗣️ "We need open registers of beneficial ownership, transparency, and letting sunlight be the best disinfectant."

👏 Our Vice-Chair the Rt Hon Sir Andrew Mitchell MP spoke on a great @ukanticorruptioncoalition.org and @brightblueuk.bsky.social panel at @conservatives.bsky.social Conference today.

👍 Delighted to be at Labour Conference with our friends at @ukanticorruptioncoalition.org

📑 Our new Chair @philbrickellmp.bsky.social is a busy man!

🤝 If you're in town, come and see him and the coalition tomorrow:

Fighting Corruption in the New Trump Era
📆 Mon 29 Sept
🕒 3pm
🎈 Bluecoat Liverpool

Ex-Reform UK Wales leader Nathan Gill pleads guilty to bribery charges Nathan Gill admits eight charges of bribery while being a Member of the European Parliament.

🚨Cash for compliments: Reform UK’s former leader in Wales has pled guilty to bribery for receiving payments while a Brexit Party MEP in exchange for making pro-Russia statements in the European Parliament.

⛔Russian political interference across Europe must be halted.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

YouTube video by United Nations 🇬🇧 United Kingdom - Deputy Prime Minister Addresses United Nations General Debate, 80th Session

➡️ Our APPG looks forward to continuing to work with partners across government, the private sector and civil society on the design, planning and implementation of the Summit.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxaK...

👏 We welcome David Lammy's confirmation that the UK will host an Illicit Finance Summit in 2026.

This is a vital opportunity to strengthen the global fight against kleptocracy — from tackling the networks that enable Russian oligarchs, to ensuring beneficial ownership transparency.

📺 Fantastic to see @spotlightcorruption.org’s research included in the brilliant ITV documentary ‘The Covid Contracts: Follow the Money’, which was screened on Sunday night. Here’s @suehawley.bsky.social explaining how much of the PPE sourced from the VIP Lane turned out to be unusable.

👏 We welcome the Government’s response and renewed commitment. But anyone walking down their local high street can see that the problem is far from solved. We will continue to shine a light on this, and work with ministers to help rid our high streets of dirty money.

❗High-street money laundering and tax abuse is damaging communities nationwide. After our APPG received a briefing from the NCA last week, APPG Chair @philbrickellmp.bsky.social asked the Home Office what they’re doing about it ⬇

🤝Thanks to our outgoing Chair, Joe Powell MP, for his leadership over the past year on issues from beneficial ownership transparency to political integrity and championing law enforcement, and to our outgoing officers, Paul Kohler MP and Lord Agnew, for their strong contributions over the years.

🌳🔶🌹Sir Andrew Mitchell MP, Bobby Dean MP, and Rachel Blake MP, were all elected as Officers. Each brings valuable cross-party expertise: Sir Andrew through his work on OT's, Bobby through his background in international development, and Rachel through her experience in enforcement.

💼 Previously, he'd led anti-bribery and corruption programmes at both NatWest and Barclays, where he oversaw the design of strategic controls, risk assessments, and governance frameworks across global operations. As Chair, he brings expertise in countering bribery, corruption, and money laundering.

New officers, new direction ⬆️

Following its Annual General Meeting, MPs elected a fresh slate of officers to take the APPG forward in the year ahead.

@philbrickellmp.bsky.social was elected Chair of the Group. Phil brings to the role over a decade of senior experience tackling financial crime.

The NCA made clear it is ready to do more – but enforcement powers, funding, and scope remain too limited for anything beyond small-scale interventions. The APPG will continue to press for stronger tools and resources for the NCA, Companies House, and HMRC to clamp down on this growing problem.

Alongside serious human rights impacts, legitimate businesses cannot compete against high streets saturated with cloned shops operating on dirty money. Their reputation is tarnished, and local communities lose out on millions in unpaid tax revenue that should be reinvested where it is most needed.

Operation Machinize uncovered a disturbing scale of exploitation: dozens of potential modern slavery victims, illegal products, a cannabis farm, illicit drugs, and dangerous weapons. More than 200 businesses were raided, over £1 million in assets frozen. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Yesterday, the APPG welcomed Rachael Herbert, Director of the NCA’s National Economic Crime Centre, and Sal Melki, Deputy Director for Illicit Finance, to brief Parliamentians on the first major crackdown on dirty cash being laundered through our high streets.

Why are our high streets littered with vape shops that always appear empty yet claim to take in tens of thousands each week? Why are they lined with multiple barbers that never seem to cut any hair? These are questions MPs are now demanding answers to.

Sign up — APPG on Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax

📰 Have you signed up for our regular newsletter?

It’s a great way to stay updated on our work in Parliament and beyond. Sign up here: anticorruption-responsibletax.org/sign-up

☀️And in case you missed it – you can read our summer newsletter here: mailchi.mp/fpc/summer-n...

👏 We welcome the referral to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal of this case of alleged misconduct connected to the OneCoin fraud.

❌ Legal threats should never be allowed to silence those brave people who expose wrongdoing.

⚖ We need a universal anti-SLAPP law in the UK as soon as possible.

🚨 STATEMENT 🚨

We welcome the Government's announcement today that it will set up an Ethics and Integrity Commission to help restore trust in politics.

Statement from our Chair @joepowell.bsky.social 👇