Steve Goodrich

If I had a pound for every housing minister in the last ten years...

Great to see CSPL call-out the UK Gov for allowing ministers to continue meddling in the affairs of the Electoral Commission www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

We @transparencyuk.bsky.social agree there's no place for gov interference in this parliamentary body.

Labour agreed too in last parl...

If I had a pound for every cash for access story over the years, I might just be able to afford to pay and meet 'key policymakers' myself.

When will parties and orgs linked to them learn this is never a good look, and damaging for confidence in our increasingly fragile democracy.

Authorities sound alarm on new money laundering threats The latest National Money Laundering Risk Assessment finds up to £10 billion in illicit flows through UK property each year

🆕 BLOG 🆕

Up to £10 billion could be laundered through UK property each year, according to the latest government risk assessment.

From opaque trusts to crypto schemes, criminals are finding new ways to hide dirty money.

Read more ⤵️
www.transparency.org.uk/news/authori...

Today, the Government released their long-awaited Strategy for Modern and Secure Elections. Out experts outline some of the key provisions in the White Paper and talk through what’s missing ⬇️

Good point from @petergeoghegan.bsky.social about potential unintended consequences of gov's proposals for electoral reform re: imprints. Could have a real chilling effect before elections. Needs a rethink!

Here’s the full rundown from @stevejgoodrich.bsky.social of all the reform measures announced today on political campaign finance, and also the ones that were missing:

My take on the government's elections strategy, published yesterday. Lots of reasons to be cheerful but they've left a big elephant in the room - the corrupting influence of big money in politics - which goes untouched and unrecognised www.transparency.org.uk/news/protect...

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...

Total spend (party and candidates) 2010-2024, Con v Lab.

NB. not incl. joint candidates yet. Big switch in 2024. Might explain lack of changes to spending limits + donation caps in statement just now from minister Rushanara Ali in Parl.

BREAKING: @electoralcommission.org.uk confirm 2024 UK general election was most expensive in recent history.

Thanks to new national campaign spending limits, Labour's 'air war' cost £30m (excl staff costs), while the Tories' lagged behind with £23m

search.electoralcommission.org.uk/Search/Spend...

How is our electoral law enforced? With different legislation and bodies responsible for our electoral law we look at how these laws are enforced

🆕 BLOG 🆕

Did you know the UK's electoral watchdog can only fine parties up to £20,000 - even for serious breaches?

Our new explainer reveals why current enforcement is failing to deter rule-breaking and what reforms are urgently needed.

Read more ⤵️
www.transparency.org.uk/news/how-our...

Parliamentary watchdog investigating ex-Reform MP Rupert ... The standards commissioner is looking at the MP's failure to register interests over his informal rape gangs inquiry

Rupert Lowe is under investigation by the standards commissioner, after crowdfunding c £620k without registering it

The crowdfunder includes several four figure sums from anonymous donors, and some that appear to come from foreign sources

@theobserveruk.bsky.social

observer.co.uk/news/politic...

The NepoPep: Sons of Duma deputy and UK Conservative party donor run German property businesses - Compliance Corylated A sanctioned Duma deputy and a Russian businessman have a connection through their sons, who run two property development businesses.

Is this why the MoD thinks the Aquind project is a national security concern? www.compliancecorylated.com/news/the-nep...

No wonder the new build housing market looks as if it's being dominated by a cartel - it is!

🎥 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.

Open Access UK: monitor lobbying meetings with in the UK Who’s #lobbying the UK? Check Open Access UK

🔍 We’ve just added 5,500+ new meetings to our Open Access database of Westminster and Holyrood meetings with external organisations.

Check out the new data here⤵️ openaccess.transparency.org.uk

🚨 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 ⤵️

Quick reminder: despite only having a population of c5,000, Montserrat has a working, pretty decent and public company beneficial ownership register cipo.fsc.ms/beneficial_o...

Shame the BVI is undermining Montserrat's sterling efforts 🙄 cipo.fsc.ms/companies/44...

Here's a nice and cringey video of me trying to explain what the heck is going on in the UK's offshore financial centres & what the Government should do about it. 🕵️‍♀️💵🌴

🚨 ⏰ ❌ Last night, the British Virgin Islands failed to meet its own deadline for opening up its corporate registers.

🖋️ ✉️ So our Chair @joepowell.bsky.social led a group of MPs in sending a letter to the BVI Premier this morning. This follows a letter we sent 5 months ago.
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This would allow those holding jobs that genuinely advance the public interest e.g. doctors, lawyers, army reservists etc. to continue serving the country while representing their constituents.

Labour made a clear commitment to reform the rules on MPs' second jobs. Now is a good time to deliver.

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...

Some British MPs spending equivalent of a day a week doing second jobs Guardian analysis finds six MPs have worked at least 300 hours since July in outside employment

There are also q's as to whether MPs can do be effective in their job when they're treating it as a part-time engagement (for £90k p.a. + expenses) www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Former MP, Peter Heaton-Jones, thinks the idea 'laughable', yet many still do so consoc.org.uk/moonlighting...

In July 2024, Parl took the positive step of banning MPs from providing advice on current affairs and how parl works - a loophole enabling many to work as lobbyists for hire. Yet these reforms didn't go far enough. There's still too much ambiguity in the rules, leaving room for mischief.

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...

“The public think big money buys influence in politics…. You can't protect UK democracy without tackling its corrosive big donor culture.”

@stevejgoodrich.bsky.social @transparencyuk.bsky.social

democracyforsale.substack.com/p/reform-uk-...

#UKPolitics

NCA freezes £170m of UK property belonging to ally of ousted Bangladesh leader Saifuzzaman Chowdhury’s assets frozen as authorities in Dhaka investigate alleged corruption of former regime

Incredible impact from the investigation led by @bcowdock.bsky.social, @stevejgoodrich.bsky.social and the @theguardian.com, which identified millions worth of properties owned by allies of the former Bangladeshi PM.

The NCA has now frozen most of these.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Returning Bangladesh’s missing billions The UK’s role in supporting democratic transition

🆕 BLOG 🆕

It's estimated £11 billion was stolen from Bangladesh during Sheikh Hasina's rule.

As interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus visits London, Britain must freeze stolen assets and return their missing wealth.

Read more ⤵️
www.transparency.org.uk/news/returni...

Reform UK promised huge donations - where are they? Farage’s party is still reliant on cash from Richard Tice and familiar names

🔴Nigel Farage and Nick Candy promised to turn Reform UK into a fundraising juggernaut

There was talk of $100m donations and securing £40m from mega-donors

But new Electoral Commission data tells very different story

Latest by me on Democracy for Sale🧵 democracyforsale.substack.com/p/reform-uk-...