Daniel Bruce

🆕 EVENT

Join @danieljbruce.bsky.social, @muteswann.bsky.social, @rosewhiff.bsky.social and @martinwhitfieldmsp.bsky.social in Edinburgh next month for insights on what lobbying data reveals and discussion about what improvements could be made.

Sign up ⤵️
www.transparency.org.uk/events/lobby...

Ministers tried to block publication of financial interests form The Cabinet Office spent £30,000 on a legal battle to prevent publication of a questionnaire for ministers.

"Government should embrace transparency as the default, not fight expensive legal battles to maintain unnecessary secrecy."

@rosewhiff.bsky.social @transparencyuk.bsky.social

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

#UKPolitics #Standards

Reeves urged to consider replacing council tax as thinktank warns of ‘impossible trilemma’ for chancellor – UK politics live The National Institute of Economic and Social Research says government’s spending gap is on course to reach more than £40bn

🆕 "Ethics watchdog says it's 'inappropriate' for Labour to keep system letting ministers direct Electoral Commission."

The CSPL's Doug Chalmers is right—the upcoming elections bill must restore EC independence to future-proof the integrity of elections.

www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

Lord Dannatt urged ministers to crack down on Palestine Action at request of US firm Police officer was concerned ex-army chief, a Teledyne adviser, sought to have ‘input’ into factory attack investigation

🚨 Simply declaring financial interests isn't a free pass to lobby for private employers. Peers must avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

The serious allegations against Lord Dannatt demand full investigation by the Lords Commissioners.

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

Take Big Money Out of Our Politics British politics is awash with money from super rich donors. In 2023, two-thirds of all private donations came from just 19 people. These so-called ‘mega donors’ enjoy privileged access to political p...

💰 Mega donors' ability to flood our politics with huge sums of money was regrettably not addressed in the Gov's recent Elections Bill Strat.

@petergeoghegan.bsky.social and @38degrees.bsky.social launched a petition to show how much the public wants big money taken out of our democracy.

Sign 👇

Take Big Money Out of Our Politics British politics is awash with money from super rich donors. In 2023, two-thirds of all private donations came from just 19 people. These so-called ‘mega donors’ enjoy privileged access to political p...

If you think politicians need to spend time listening to people like you, and not a select group of their wealthy donors, this petition has the key.
Add your name to call for a cap on political donations today - and please let your friends know about it too!

Improving the effectiveness of the Money Laundering Regulations This consultation considers changes to improve the Money Laundering Regulations while minimising burdens on legitimate customers.

🎉Big win: the Government has just announced new transparency requirements for offshore trusts owning homes in the UK.

There's still work to do to make that data accessible, but we're a step closer to knowing the real owners of UK properties 🔍🏠

www.gov.uk/government/c...

Rule-breaking ministers to lose exit pay-outs The rule change is part of a package of measures which will come into effect in October.

‘Campaign group @transparencyuk.bsky.social welcomed the plans, but warned that without legally-enforceable penalties "rule-breaking can still go unpunished".’

#UKPolitics #Standards

www.bbc.com/news/article...

UK to introduce standards regime to fine ministers over post-office jobs breaches ‘Essentially toothless’ watchdog Acoba to be replaced by Ethics and Integrity Commission

"It is unclear how the new financial penalties will be enforced and there are no changes to the rules on the revolving door, which urgently need strengthening"

Our thoughts on the Government's new ethics announcements in the @financialtimes.com ⬇️

www.ft.com/content/0ff2...

New ethics commission welcome, but stronger rules - backed in law - are needed.

Government plans for a new Ethics Commission are welcome, but without laws that enshrines the existence of the Ministerial Code of Conduct, ministerial standards will still rely on the ‘good chaps’ theory of government.

Our full statement 👇
www.transparency.org.uk/news/new-eth...

‘Without proper legal backing of the rules governing ministerial behaviour during and after government, rule breaking can still go unpunished.’

@transparencyuk.bsky.social on govt integrity & ethics reforms.

www.transparency.org.uk/news/new-eth...
#UKPolitics #Standards

NEW: Government announcement on establishing an Ethics and Integrity Commission. @transparencyuk.bsky.social 's @danieljbruce.bsky.social, asks: "If oversight of civil servants warrants a commission on a statutory footing, why not also the oversight of ministers?":

🎥 There are some positive things in there around political donations... But these measures ignore the elephant in the room... the growing reliance of political parties on a small number of wealthy backers and the corrupting influence of big money in politics.

Our reaction to today's announcement ⤵️

Starmer defends lowering voting age to 16, saying people old enough to pay tax should have a say – UK politics live Plan to give 16 and 17-year-olds vote across UK means nearly 1.5 million more people will be to have say at general election

On government plans to reform political donations: 'The elephant in the room remains untouched – a growing arms race in election spending that is fuelling political parties’ dangerous dependence on a handful of billionaire backers.' @transparencyuk.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

Crackdown on foreign donations welcome, but bolder action needed to end corrupting influence of big money Anti-corruption campaigners warn more still to be done to protect UK democracy and restore trust in politics

🗣️ "Crackdown on foreign donations welcome, but bolder action needed to end corrupting influence of big money."

See our full statement on the government's new elections strategy published today ⤵️
www.transparency.org.uk/news/crackdo...

How to secretly pour £60m into British politics Exposed: The loophole that AfD-linked billionaires, hard Brexiteers and other anonymous donors use to bankroll politicians

“That unincorporated associations have donated such enormous sums while operating with minimal oversight represents a fundamental weakness in our democratic safeguards”

@duncanhames.bsky.social @transparencyuk.bsky.social

democracyforsale.substack.com/p/how-to-sec...

#UKPolitics #DirtyMoney

Times letters: Rising Reform and disappointment in Starmer Sir, If Reform voters wanting to “smash things up” means they want radical change, AN Wilson is correct

🗣️ "It is causing confusion and a chilling effect on public discussion. It should be withdrawn."

@danieljbruce.bsky.social joined academics and civil society leaders in opposing govt guidance that bars public officials from attending public and stakeholder events.

www.thetimes.com/comment/lett...

🎥 The BVI's failure to meet the deadline on accessible corporate registers sends a "terrible message."

Good to see David Lammy commit to further work on ensuring Britain's overseas territories take action to tackle illicit finance at this week's Foreign Affairs Committee.

It's time to put an end to financial secrecy in the British Virgin Islands We cannot credibly aspire to be the anti-corruption capital of the world while the British Virgin Islands continues to avoid proper transparency.

🗣️"We cannot credibly aspire to be the anti-corruption capital of the world while the BVI continues to avoid proper transparency"

Important piece from MPs Lloyd Hatton and Sir Andrew Mitchell on the need to end financial secrecy in Britain's Overseas Territories.
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...

🚨 NEW 🚨

Billions of pounds of dirty money have been laundered through shell companies in the UK Overseas Territories, such as the BVI.

This impacts national security and worsens global poverty.

As David Lammy faces the Foreign Affairs Committee today, see why it's time for urgent action ⤵️

Labour struggles to drain the swamp U.K. prime minister had a bold plan for cleaning up British politics. A year in, campaigners say it amounts to little more than “tinkering.”

‘You can’t pause the clock on declining political trust, and without that political trust the very legitimacy of the government and faith in our democracy is going to continue to erode’
@transparencyuk.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/labo...

#UKPolitics

10 reasons why the hereditary peers bill should be amended to constrain Prime Ministerial patronage and the size of the House of Lords The government’s House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill reaches its report stage in the chamber this week – presenting a serious moment for possible amendments. Meg Russell argues that peers should…

ON THE BLOG: 10 reasons why the hereditary peers bill should be amended to constrain Prime Ministerial patronage and the size of the House of Lords

Ahead of the hereditary peers bill's report stage starting in the Lords today, our Director, Meg Russell, sets out why peers should amend the bill.

A number of the Britain's offshore financial centres appear to have been stringing the UK government along with promises of reform that they keep breaking.
Notably, the British Virgin Islands are now on the critical international 'grey-list' for poor controls against money laundering. Time to act:

📺NEW VIDEO📺

Last night, key British offshore financial centres failed to meet their own deadline for revealing who owns companies registered there.

It’s time the UK Government escalates its response & ensures places like the BVI are no longer safe havens for the world's corrupt.

Watch and read ⤵️

British overseas territories miss final deadline to crack down on ‘dirty money’ Island havens accused of ‘defying the will of parliament’ after failing to initiate corporate transparency measures

“The BVIs’ proposed access regime is not compatible with global corporate transparency efforts.”

@margotmollat.bsky.social @transparencyuk.bsky.social

#DirtyMoney #AntiCorruption

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Tory MP George Freeman faces cash for questions claims The ex-Tory minister refers himself to parliamentary watchdog after leaked emails reveal he was paid by a company that helped him write questions to government

Important investigation from Harry Yorke @thetimes.com into alleged lobbying by former minister and current MP, George Freeman www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Very timely given Parl's standards committee is doing an inquiry on second jobs committees.parliament.uk/committee/29...

Given the corruption and rep risks involved @rosewhiff.bsky.social @transparencyuk.bsky.social said in her evidence to parl last month "...all second jobs should be prohibited except those that maintain a professional qualification or provide an essential public service."
bsky.app/profile/tran...

This new approach by the Government undermines the Nolan principles of accountability and openness in public life. Openness improves government.

We @transparencyuk.bsky.social share the concerns of @instituteforgovernment.org.uk

#UKPolitics #NolanPrinciples

📽️ Today, we were thrilled to join CIPFA's annual conference, Public Finance Live, where @danieljbruce.bsky.social‬ made the case on why transparency and accountability should be at the heart of public policy making.

The BVI’s company register plans ‘not compatible’ with global transparency efforts, warn anti-corruption campaigners

🆕 The BVI's plans for granting access to its corporate registers don't go far enough.

Genuine beneficial ownership disclosure should expose corruption and empower investigators—not create bureaucratic barriers protecting wrongdoers.

See our full response ⤵️
www.transparency.org.uk/news/bvis-co...