Duncan Hames

Duncan Hames pictured in a busy auditorium at the start of the Open Government Summit.

Welcome to OGP new local members including in the United Kingdom: Greater Manchester.

At the global summit for the Open Government Partnership we are welcoming new members including Britain’s @mayorofgm.bsky.social:

MPs are supposed to report potential conflicts of interest between their official duties and private financial affairs.
These are rules, not discretionary gestures towards openness.

MPs are supposed to report potential conflicts of interest between their official duties and private financial affairs.
These are rules, not discretionary gestures towards openness.

Transparency International UK x Spotlight on Corruption x More In Common: Who Pays, Who Decides? Big Money in British Politics — UK Anti-Corruption Coalition Join us to discuss the corrupting influence of money from home and abroad on our democracy. Drawing on new public opinion insights, this panel will discuss what must be done to stop the rise of mega d...

🔥 EVENT: "Who Pays, Who Decides? Big Money in British Politics"
Our executive director @suehawley.bsky.social joins Baroness Hodge, @liambyrnemp.bsky.social, @duncanhames.bsky.social, &
@edhodgsoned.bsky.social on the panel for this crucial discussion at 4.30pm today.
Check out the details below 👇

Ex-leader of Reform in Wales admits taking bribes in return for pro-Russia messages Nathan Gill pleads guilty to receiving payment for making statements in European parliament about events in Ukraine

Ex-leader of Reform in Wales admits taking bribes in return for pro-Russia messages - on.ft.com/42IFFFA

What a patriot.

Arriving in Liverpool for the Labour Party conference, armed with @spotlightcorruption.org and @transparencyuk.bsky.social polling that shows Reform voters back independence for the Electoral Commission, (even if their man Arron Banks says he wants it scrapped).

From my prison cell in Georgia, I implore Europe not to abandon us to Russia | Mzia Amaglobeli My fellow journalists are putting their lives in danger every day, but we refuse to surrender to a regime that threatens Europe’s own security, says imprisoned Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli

From my prison cell in Georgia, I implore Europe not to abandon us to Russia | Mzia Amaglobeli

Reform UK’s ex-leader in Wales Nathan Gill pleads guilty to bribery charges Gill admits to eight charges while an elected member of the European parliament

🚨 NEW 🚨

Nathan Gill, the former leader of Reform UK in Wales has pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to eight bribery charges while an elected member of the European parliament.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

this is an extraordinary canary in the coal mine

To revive Labour, Starmer should go to conference with this pledge: we will clean politics of sleaze | Polly Toynbee Another donations controversy, and another chance for the PM to draw the line – and stem the flow of dubious money into Westminster, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

I rather think Polly Toynbee has a point here: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

👏 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.

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.

I often find people who like to think is doesn’t happen here…that money in politics is harmless. I have news for you:

Ex-Reform politician admits Russia-linked bribery charges www.bbc.com/news/article...

So very sad that Ming has gone.
He served with character and wisdom, was kind and so generous with his time for a youngster like me with much to learn. Yet, as a parliamentary intern, I still couldn’t keep up with him on the staircase of 1 Parliament Street when the division bell was ringing!

Deputy PM David Lammy delivers address to UN General Assembly 2025 | Watch in full YouTube video by Sky News

Good to see the Deputy PM, David Lammy, promote the UK government's work on illicit finance at the UN General Assembly.
"...we can crack down on illicit finance, a fight we will lead at a UK-hosted summit next year.” www.youtube.com/live/-8k_z0O...

Who pays, who decides? Big money in British politics Join Transparency International UK at Labour Party Conference

Heading to Labour Party Conference this weekend?

Join our Director of Policy, @duncanhames.bsky.social, @liambyrnemp.bsky.social, @suehawley.bsky.social, @edhodgsoned.bsky.social and Baroness Hodge for "Who pays, who decides? Big money in British politics".

www.transparency.org.uk/events/who-p...

Deserving 5-star review of @itvx.com documentary last night, The Covid Contracts: Follow the Money. Catch it on the ITV player when you get home tonight: www.itv.com/watch/the-co...

Morgan McSweeney under pressure as book revives donations scandal The Fraud raises questions about Labour Together and its failure to declare thousands in contributions

Telling officials that reporting rules don't apply to you, doesn't sit easily with claims it was just an 'administrative oversight'.
Good to see @electoralcommission.org.uk pursued this to the point of sanctions, and that Labour Together since 2021 have sought to fully comply with the rules.

Interesting discussion on political funding at Lib Dem conference.

Transparency International point out that South Australia has now banned private donations to political parties for state elections, while federally Australia introduced a £25,000 annual donation cap for the next fed. election.

Call for cap on political donations in Wales Mr Gething spent more than £250,000 on his campaign to be Welsh Labour leader

In Wales, they know all too well the consequences of unlimited calls on private donors to finance political campaigns.
The campaign teams and candidates for deputy leader of @teamlabouruk.bsky.social should take care to avoid the same mistakes. www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politic...

The Rundown by PoliticsHome: Is Keir committed to cleaning up politics? This week is a look under the bonnet of British politics, and shining a light into the dark corners of how Westminster’s finances operates, and seeing if the endless pledges to close loopholes an...

🎙️ Is Keir committed to cleaning up politics?

Our Chief Executive @danieljbruce.bsky.social joined @alaintolhurst.bsky.social, @suehawley.bsky.social, @petergeoghegan.bsky.social and Lloyd Hatton MP on this week's The Rundown podcast to answer this question.

podfollow.com/politicshome...

Palantir among arms giants snapping up ex-Tory defence ministers Exclusive: As Trump arrives in Britain, we find a massive "unchecked revolving door" between UK government and defence industry

🔴 More than 30 ex Tory defence ministers and senior civil servants have taken lucrative jobs in the booming defence industry in past year

New @lucasamin.bsky.social investigation on Democracy for Sale raises serious questions about 'revolving door'

democracyforsale.substack.com/p/palantir-a...

My colleague @rosewhiff.bsky.social marked international ‘day of democracy’ with this timely suggestion for what we need to do to protect our politics and elections from capture by parties’ ultra-wealthy backers:

Lib Dem party conference pass and page 49 of the directory featuring ALDC and LGA Lib Dem fringe meeting with Transparency International: Dark Money in Local Elections. Held in the Shaftesbury Suite of the Highcliff Marriott from 1pm-2pm on Saturday 20th September 2025.

Looking forward to returning to Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth next week, this time as a guest of ALDC.
Come along to hear us talk about the dark money in our elections at 1pm next Saturday.

🆕: Leaders from the anti-corruption space have written to the new Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy MP and new Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper MP, urging them to continue the UK’s leadership on illicit finance and commit to hosting the upcoming international summit.

Read our letters below:

Money in politics (again):
“credible allegations of rule breaking should be investigated” urges @transparencyuk.bsky.social Head of Research and Investigations, @stevejgoodrich.bsky.social.

Johnson and Cummings’ secret meeting with Palantir founder revealed Non-disclosure of apparent meeting a year before firm won NHS role raises serious questions over transparency

You have a right to know when ministers, even the prime minister, meets with private companies. We shouldn’t have to find out this way:
Johnson and Cummings’ secret meeting with Palantir founder revealed www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Figure just released by the @electoralcommission.org.uk reveal that on 10th April the Conservative Party accepted a further donation of £250,000 from one Graham H Edwards.

Warnings From Weimar Why bargaining with authoritarians fails.

"No democratic constitution is self-enforcing, not even ones much older than the Weimar Republic was in the early 1930s. Citizens and leaders must defend democratic institutions whenever they are threatened and whatever the scale of the threat." Prof Daniel Ziblatt in the latest @foreignaffairs.com

Honestly, I'm a little uncomfortable with way TfL pimps out Westminster tube station to companies lobbying MPs and officials, and felt the same when it was for BAE Systems.