Generated by Rank Math SEO, this is an llms.txt file designed to help LLMs better understand and index this website. # Spotlight on Corruption: Spotlight on Corruption shines a light on the UK’s role in corruption at home and abroad. ## Sitemaps [XML Sitemap](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/sitemap_index.xml): Includes all crawlable and indexable pages. Generated by Rank Math SEO, this is an llms.txt file designed to help LLMs better understand and index this website. # Spotlight on Corruption: Spotlight on Corruption shines a light on the UK’s role in corruption at home and abroad. ## Sitemaps [XML Sitemap](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/sitemap_index.xml): Includes all crawlable and indexable pages. ## Posts - [New Ethics and Integrity Commission announced: Spotlight statement](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/ethics-and-integrity-commission/): Today’s announcement of a new Ethics and Integrity Commission must be the first step in a more ambitious upgrade of standards regulation that independent experts have long called for. Without further steps it risks failing to meet strong public demand for truly independent regulation of politicians’ behaviour. - [Spotlight welcomes government action to protect UK elections but gaps remain](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/welcome-protect-elections-gaps-remain/): Spotlight on Corruption welcomes today’s publication of an elections strategy which sees the government commit to crucial reforms that will help protect our democracy from the risks of undue influence and foreign interference. - [Press release: Anti-corruption campaigners demand action on suspected dirty money from Bangladesh in the UK](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/press-release-anti-corruption-campaigners-demand-action-on-suspected-dirty-money-from-bangladesh-in-the-uk/): As the official state visit to the UK of Chief Advisor Mohammed Yunus begins, anti-corruption NGOs from Bangladesh and the UK are calling for greater action from the UK Government to help the Bangladesh authorities seize assets which were allegedly stolen by the previous regime. - [A strategic investment: The case for continuing governance and anti-corruption aid](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/the-case-for-anti-corruption-aid/): In February 2025, the Prime Minister announced a major cut in UK aid – from 0.58% of gross national income (GNI) in 2023 to just 0.3% by 2027. As the government makes difficult decisions about what to keep or cut, it is crucial to recognise how governance and anti-corruption programmes can play a pivotal role in realising its foreign policy ambitions and why cutting them would be a mistake. This is particularly the case for a new approach to Africa which is focused on respectful partnerships and long-term growth. - [Press release: NGOs urge further accountability in UK-Malawi bribery case](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/ngos-urge-accountability-sattar-case/): Following bribery charges laid against British businessman Zuneth Sattar in a London court today, UK anti-corruption charity Spotlight on Corruption and Malawian NGO Youth and Society urged authorities in both countries to redouble their efforts to ensure robust accountability for alleged corruption. - [The first Economic Crime Levy report: our analysis](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/first-economic-crime-levy-report/): The first report on the Economic Crime Levy (ECL) published by the Treasury demonstrates both the strengths and limitations of this new funding mechanism. What questions come out of the report and what could be done to further bolster funding for tackling economic crime?  - [Summary report: Roundtable on resourcing the fight against economic crime in the Comprehensive Spending Review 2025](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/summary-report-roundtable-on-resourcing-the-fight-against-economic-crime-in-the-comprehensive-spending-review-2025/): On Friday 7 March 2025, Spotlight on Corruption and the Royal United Services Institute organised a roundtable to discuss resourcing law enforcement efforts to tackle economic crime in the context of the upcoming Second Phase of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) due on 11 June 2025.  - [The Covid-19 Inquiry and PPE: What have we learned so far?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/covid-19-inquiry-and-ppe/): What were the key lessons to emerge from the latest instalment of the Covid-19 Inquiry in March, which scrutinised the government’s approach to sourcing personal protective equipment (PPE)? From poor-decision making and VIP lanes, to billions spent on unusable or overpriced products, it was clear that the UK's emergency response systems abjectly failed to cope under pressure. - [RIP MIPO: introducing a new corruption in public office offence](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/corruption-in-public-office-offence/): Four years ago the Law Commission recommended a complete overhaul of the archaic misconduct in public office (MIPO) offence. The UK government has yet to provide a formal response to its central recommendation that a new corruption in public office offence be created. With growing public mistrust towards politicians, and a variety of scandals within high office that have led to a widespread sense that British politics is becoming more corrupt, the case for reform has never been stronger. - [Will the SFO’s new “come dish your dirt” strategy work to tackle corporate crime?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/sfos-new-come-dish-your-dirt-strategy/): The Serious Fraud Office’s new corporate guidance released today is a much needed and welcome part of the SFO’s new strategy to ramp up enforcement against corporate fraud and corruption. But will it work and what’s missing? - [Introducing Spotlight’s new Anti-Corruption Enforcement Tracker](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/anti-corruption-enforcement-tracker/): Our recently launched anti-corruption enforcement tracker brings together public but hard-to-find data to shed light on the UK’s enforcement record against corruption and related economic crimes, which by one academic estimate cost the UK £350 billion a year. - [Business groups providing hospitality get most government meetings, new analysis reveals](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/business-groups-providing-hospitality/): Business groups which provide the most corporate hospitality to government departments also get the most meetings with ministers and senior officials in those departments, according to a new report from Spotlight on Corruption. - [Press release: Spotlight calls time on legal sector AML supervisors](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/spotlight-calls-time-aml-supervisors/): In its latest detailed analysis of the performance of the professional bodies that police lawyers for money laundering, Spotlight on Corruption finds that a step change in effectiveness is needed to keep dirty money out of the UK. - [Spotlight is recruiting! We are looking for a new lead for our Defending Democracy work](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/spotlight-is-recruiting-new-lead-dd/): Spotlight on Corruption has an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated individual to lead our work on defending UK democracy, by pushing for reforms that will enhance public trust in government, create stronger institutional resilience, and prevent foreign interference in UK politics. - [The VAT exemption: a key weakness in the system for lobbying transparency that risks foreign influence over UK politics](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/vat-exemption-lobbying-transparency/): The UK’s lobbying body, the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists (ORCL), has found that a Qatar-based lobbying firm did not need to declare its lobbying of a UK Minister due to the VAT exemption, a widely criticised loophole in UK lobbying rules. The decision followed a complaint by Spotlight on Corruption in light of reporting by the journalist, Peter Geoghegan. - [Joint statement: US anticorruption rollback risks a race to the bottom for Africa’s natural resources](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/joint-statement-us-rollback/): The rollback by the new Trump administration of anti-bribery and anti-kleptocracy enforcement alongside its suspension of USAID funding is a critical moment for the global fight against corruption. These actions must not be allowed to create a free-for-all and race to the bottom in relation to Africa’s natural resources. - [A serious mistake? The SRA’s slim route to success in the Dentons AML case](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/a-serious-mistake-dentons-aml-case/): On Wednesday the High Court heard an appeal between the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and Dentons UK and Middle East LLP (Dentons) which raises fundamental questions about how lawyers are held to account for compliance with their anti-money laundering (AML) obligations.   - [New money for aid-funded enforcement – how far will it go?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/new-money-for-aid-funded-enforcement/): In a welcome move for the UK’s aid-funded enforcement efforts, in December last year the Foreign Secretary announced that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will extend its funding to support the National Crime Agency’s International Corruption Unit (ICU) by up to £36 million over five years.  - [Foreign donors: Parliamentary pressure grows for ambitious reforms to the UK’s political finance regime](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/foreign-donors-political-finance/): Galvanised by the prospect of foreign donors – including a certain US-based tech billionaire – potentially contributing to UK political parties, over the last two weeks more than a dozen parliamentarians have echoed calls by independent experts to urgently tighten up the UK’s election finance laws. This would go a long way towards safeguarding our democracy, protecting elections from foreign interference and rebuilding trust in politics. - [New Bill aims to restore public trust in our politics and fix the UK’s broken system of ethics regulation](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/new-bill-aims-to-fix-ethics-regulation/): Yesterday the House of Lords saw the first reading of a crucial Private Members’ Bill* which would significantly improve ethics regulation in government. - [Solicitors’ tribunal finds against lawyer for stifling public scrutiny – an early test case for SLAPPs](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/tribunal-against-lawyer-slapps-case/): The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has today found against a lawyer for improperly stifling public scrutiny, following a complaint that he engaged in legal tactics broadly referred to as Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation or ‘SLAPPs’. - [New Spotlight report analyses crippling delays in economic crime cases](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/new-report-delays-economic-crime-cases/): Today Spotlight on Corruption releases ‘Back of the courtroom queue’, a report by former Chief Crown Prosecutor Andrew Penhale on the immensely damaging impact that the crisis in the UK criminal justice system is having on economic crime cases. - [Open justice: Spotlight wins right to publish documents from major UK corruption trial](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/open-justice-right-publish-documents/): Today, in an important ruling with wider implications for open justice, Spotlight on Corruption won the right to publish the transcripts and Court documents from a criminal trial that highlighted UK government complicity with a foreign bribery scheme. - [“Huge win” for open justice as Spotlight given go-ahead to publish corruption trial documents](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/go-ahead-corruption-trial-documents/): In a ground-breaking judgment handed down this morning, the Crown Court has given Spotlight on Corruption the go-ahead to publish the transcripts and 800 documents from the trial of two British executives who were acquitted of corruption charges earlier this year. - [Partners respond to UK’s latest anti-corruption sanctions designations](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/latest-anti-corruption-sanctions/): On 9th December, the UK put three new individuals on the UK’s Anti-Corruption Sanctions list.  - [Spotlight convenes roundtable on compensation for overseas victims of corruption](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/event-overseas-victims-of-corruption/): On 15 November 2024, Spotlight organised a multi-stakeholder roundtable on the UK’s framework for compensating the overseas victims of corruption. - [No more turning a blind eye: Spotlight welcomes new Domestic Corruption Unit](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/welcome-new-domestic-corruption-unit/): Today’s announcement that the Home Office and City of London Police have established a new pilot Domestic Corruption Unit is an incredibly important and welcome tipping point. - [Still in the dark – lobbying transparency under the new government](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/in-the-dark-lobbying-transparency/): Today Spotlight on Corruption is releasing a scorecard on how the new government is implementing key recommendations on lobbying transparency.  - [Lobbying scorecard: what has happened to lobbying transparency under the new government?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/lobbying-scorecard-under-the-new-gov/): Today we are releasing a lobbying scorecard on where the new government has got to on lobbying transparency. While the previous government committed to implement three major recommendations to enhance lobbying transparency, the new government appears to have stalled. The current state of affairs is deeply unsatisfactory and risks making government decision-making deeply unaccountable. - [Spotlight welcomes new Anti-Corruption Champion and major funding boost for anti-corruption enforcement](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/new-anti-corruption-champion/): The appointment of a new Anti-Corruption Champion, alongside additional funding for the National Crime Agency and further Global Anti-Corruption sanctions designations are hugely welcome signs of the UK government’s determination to tackle corruption. - [Lessons from the frontline: Was Britain’s first McMafia order really a success?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/lessons-from-frontline-mcmafia-order/): When the National Crime Agency (NCA) announced a court settlement this summer with Zamira Hajiyeva it described the outcome of its first-ever McMafia order as a “fantastic” success. - [Clear as mud: The UK’s lobbying transparency deficit](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/clear-as-mud-lobbying-transparency/): Last night the government’s latest departmental lobbying transparency data dropped – two months late. So late in fact that the content is primarily of historical interest: the data relates to the last months of the Conservative government from April to June 2024.  - [Feeble sanctions enforcement on display at Commons hearing, but could this change soon?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/feeble-sanctions-enforcement-hearing/): Weak enforcement has long been the Achilles’ heel of the UK’s fight against economic crime, and the early signs suggest that sanctions enforcement is unlikely to be an exception to that broader trend. But comments from the Foreign Secretary yesterday signalled that the government is thinking seriously about how to ramp up sanctions enforcement.  - [NAO reveals woeful conflicts of interest management undermining government objectivity](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/nao-conflicts-of-interest-management/): Proactive and robust conflicts of interest management is critical for preventing undue influence on government decision-making, and ensuring that public resources are well allocated and spent wisely. With fraud and error estimated by the National Audit Office (NAO) to have caused losses of between £55-81 billion to the public purse in 2023/24, ensuring that weak conflicts of interest mechanisms are not exacerbating the loss of public funds is essential.  - [Spotlight and partners welcome new government campaign on dirty money](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/new-government-campaign-on-dirty-money/): The announcement today of high-profile sanctions as part of a new campaign by the British government to crack down on corruption and illicit finance is a hugely welcome sign that the UK is stepping up to a global leadership role in the fight against dirty money – and is finally getting serious about its own responsibility for ending the enabling of global corruption and kleptocracy. - [New website feature puts the spotlight on key sanctions cases](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/new-website-feature-sanctions-cases/): The newest section of the Spotlight on Corruption website brings our detailed analysis of key sanctions cases together in one place for the first time. - [Government’s latest sanctions package targeting Russian operations in Africa is “bang on the money”, say campaigners](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/latest-sanctions-package-russia-africa/): The International Lawyers Project and Spotlight on Corruption today welcomed the UK government’s latest sanctions package against Russia’s military industrial complex and Russian-backed mercenary groups operating in Africa. - [Spotlight calls for Economic Crime Fighting Fund, after budget small change](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/spotlight-economic-crime-fighting-fund/): The government should reinvest criminal assets and fines into an innovative new Economic Crime Fighting Fund to turbocharge enforcement after the Autumn budget offered minimal funding for tackling economic crime, argues a report published today by Spotlight on Corruption. - [Spotlight asks Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists to investigate lobbying for Qatar freeports](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/lobbying-for-qatar-freeports/): Spotlight on Corruption has written to the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists to call for an investigation in light of questions raised by a recent press report about Global Counsel lobbying the UK government on behalf of the state-backed Qatar Free Zones Authority. - [Serious Fraud Office strikes secret deal with ENRC to end legal onslaught](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/sfo-enrc-secret-deal/): On 8 October 2024, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) reached a last-minute settlement with Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC) to avoid another bruising legal battle over the agency’s corruption probe into the controversial Kazakh mining company. While the full terms of the agreement have not been disclosed, the deal draws a line under claims the SFO leaked confidential information to the media about its investigation. - [Damning report proves that urgent AML supervisory reform is critical](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/aml-supervisory-reform-is-critical/): The UK is not effectively supervising the legal and accountancy professions for money laundering risks, according to the latest assessment of the 22 supervisory authorities responsible for overseeing the sectors. AML supervisory reform - [Britain’s FBI is “on its knees”: new report calls for major reform and new investment for the National Crime Agency](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/is-britains-fbi-on-its-knees/): The report – titled “Is Britain’s FBI on its knees? How to make the National Crime Agency a genuinely elite crime fighting force” – shows that morale is at rock bottom at the agency and that it is haemorraghing officers due to major pay inequality and stagnation.  - [Falling at the first hurdle: what two recent cases against law firms handling suspect money show about the UK’s anti-money laundering enforcement regime](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/falling-money-laundering-enforcement/): The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) - which polices anti-money laundering (AML) compliance in solicitors firms - has recently made welcome strides in taking enforcement action against money laundering breaches. But two recent rulings against the SRA in the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal expose real gaps in accountability for the legal sector. - [Anti-Corruption NGOs demand action on stolen Bangladeshi assets](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/anti-corruption-ngos-demand-action-on-stolen-bangladeshi-assets/): A group of anti-corruption NGOs has written to Foreign Secretary David Lammy urging the UK government to take swift action to identify, seize and return assets stolen from the people of Bangladesh by corrupt officials. - [New report finds use of aid to tackle dirty money is crucial – but falls far short of what’s needed](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/global-corruption-busters/): Our report – “Global Corruption Busters: How development aid can boost the UK's fight against dirty money” – looks at why the ICU’s work is so important in combatting corruption afflicting developing countries and the role the UK plays in enabling it. But the report also finds glaring enforcement gaps – no professional enabler of dirty money has yet been convicted under the programme, and no medium-sized companies have been convicted since the ICU took on the role of enforcement. - [Behind closed doors: how arbitration conceals corruption and what the UK should do about it](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/arbitration-conceals-corruption/): Several recent major court cases in the UK have shown how vulnerable arbitration can be to abuse by corrupt actors. As a major centre for international arbitration – settling disputes between companies and governments, and between companies themselves – the UK has a responsibility to tackle this vulnerability.  - [NCA forfeits over £17 million in luxury properties from first-ever McMafia order](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/nca-forfeits-mcmafia-order/): Six years after the National Crime Agency (NCA) applied for the first-ever Unexplained Wealth Order, it has this month secured the forfeiture of two luxury properties – a house in Knightsbridge worth approximately £14 million and a golf club in Ascot worth over £10.5 million – owned by the wife of jailed Azerbaijani banker Jahangir Hajiyev. - [Mozambique wins court claim over corrupt Tuna Bonds](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/mozambique-court-corrupt-tuna-bonds/): Today Mozambique substantially won its $3.1 billion claim against Abu Dhabi shipbuilder Privinvest over its role in a corrupt conspiracy to secure government-backed loans over a decade ago for a failed maritime project that “had no chance from the start”. - [New report finds UK’s enforcement of sanctions is “all bark and no bite”](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/sanctions-all-bark-and-no-bite/): The report – “All bark and no bite?: Taking stock of the UK’s enforcement of sanctions” – reveals that there have been ZERO fines for breaches of financial sanctions imposed since 2022, ZERO convictions for sanctions evasion since 2012, and ZERO assets permanently seized through civil or criminal action related to sanctions violations. - [Thin gruel for anti-corruption campaigners – the new government’s King’s Speech](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/thin-gruel-for-anti-corruption-campaigners-the-new-governments-kings-speech/): In introducing this week’s King’s Speech, the new Prime Minister said "the fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era." But some key measures crucial for restoring trust in the integrity of our politics and financial systems failed to make it into the 40 bills within. If the first King’s Speech of a new government is about signalling its top priorities, then tackling the UK’s political integrity deficit and illicit finance don’t yet appear to be among them. - [Letter to National Crime Agency highlights need for victim compensation](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/letter-to-nca-victim-compensation/): In July 2024, Spotlight on Corruption and Malawian NGO Youth and Society wrote a joint letter to the National Crime Agency (NCA) concerning compensation for the overseas victims of alleged corruption involving the British-Malawian businessman Zuneth Sattar. - [The tip of the iceberg? Our analysis of manifesto commitments on corruption](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/manifesto-commitments-on-corruption/): What do UK political parties’ manifestos say about addressing corruption and related issues? In this blog we look at parties’ manifesto commitments on corruption, specifically in the following areas: - [Court of Appeal decision safeguards the UK’s anti-money laundering regime](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/court-of-appeal-safeguards-aml-regime/): In a landmark decision handed down today, the Court of Appeal overturned a 2023 High Court decision which had seriously undermined the UK’s framework for investigating and recovering the proceeds of crime and risked driving a coach and horses through the UK’s anti-money laundering regime. - [The unfinished business of accountability for Glencore’s corruption](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/accountability-for-glencore/): Now, two years on, there are significant opportunities to start closing these accountability gaps: Glencore has agreed to pay $50 million as “penalty and compensation” to Nigeria, while the company’s former staff are bracing themselves for imminent bribery charges in the UK. Here’s our take on these latest developments, and why a lack of transparency currently threatens the success of efforts to ensure full accountability for Glencore’s corruption. - [Letter from the National Crime Agency highlights problems with the UK’s political finance enforcement regime](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/nca-political-finance-enforcement/): Spotlight on Corruption is today publishing the National Crime Agency’s (NCA) response to our letter, in which we called for the agency to coordinate the UK’s response to serious breaches of political finance laws and close the enforcement gap that’s leaving our democracy exposed to dirty money and foreign influence. - [Nigeria’s $50 million settlement with Glencore must be fully transparent and redress the harms caused by corruption ](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/nigerias-50-million-settlement-with-glencore-must-be-fully-transparent-and-redress-the-harms-caused-by-corruption/): Joint press statement - [Protecting the UK’s Democracy: Key Electoral Reforms Recommended by Independent Experts](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/protecting-the-uks-democracykey-electoral-reforms-recommended-by-independent-experts/): Independent expert bodies have provided a catalogue of recommendations to improve the UK’s political finance laws and their enforcement. From landmark reports by the Committee on Standards in Public Life and interventions by the Electoral Commission, to reports by select committees and research by civil society, academia and others. These organisations broadly agree on the problems and solutions, but successive governments have not implemented their key recommendations. This has had a corrosive effect on our political system and poses serious risks to our democracy. - [Landmark appeal involving National Crime Agency raises crucial questions for the UK’s anti-money laundering regime](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/landmark-appeal-for-the-uks-aml-regime/): Spotlight on Corruption is intervening in support of a crucial appeal brought by the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), supported by the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN). - [Can the UK tackle its political integrity crisis?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/uk-tackle-political-integrity-crisis/): That means that while the number of political integrity scandals hitting the daily headlines may have subsided over the past year or so, the cynicism and distrust the public feel towards those who lead our country and are responsible for its laws has actually worsened.  - [Britain’s revolving door rules are broken – so where are the government’s promised reforms?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/britains-revolving-door-rules-broken/): The mechanism to police the UK’s revolving door has been swinging off its hinges for sometime. Back in June 2023, after Boris Johnson had (once again) broken the Rules, Lord Pickles – who chairs the Committee responsible for policing them – wrote a stinging letter to the government about his lack of powers.  - [Campaigners call for National Audit Office inquiry into Ministry of Defence involvement in UK-Saudi bribes](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/campaigners-call-for-nao-inquiry-mod/): Spotlight on Corruption and Transparency International UK have called for a National Audit Office inquiry into the alleged involvement of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in the bribery scandal revealed following the acquittal of two men accused of corruption offences last month. - [Lady Chief Justice responds to joint letter on HMCTS open justice advice](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/lady-chief-justice-open-justice/): Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill has responded to the recent letter sent by Spotlight on Corruption and the other members of the Courts and Tribunals Observers’ Network pointing out a worrying series of errors in recently published guidance from HM Courts & Tribunal Service. - [Acquittal of two men for making corrupt payments on UK-Saudi arms deal must lead to full independent inquiry into UK government’s role](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/acquittal-of-two-men-for-making-corrupt-payments-on-uk-saudi-arms-deal-must-lead-to-full-independent-inquiry-into-uk-governments-role/): There is a real chance that in deciding to acquit these men on corruption charges, the jury gave serious consideration to the extensive knowledge of UK government officials about, and the role of the Ministry of Defence in authorising the alleged bribes. - [Failure of Shvidler and Naumenko appeals strengthens the UK government’s hand on sanctions](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/failure-shvidler-and-naumenko-appeals/): Both Shvidler and Naumenko challenged whether sanctions measures used against them were rationally connected to the objective of encouraging Russia to cease its aggression against Ukraine – and whether there was a fair balance struck between the infringement of their rights with this objective.  - [The first UK sanctions strategy – our analysis](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/the-first-uk-sanctions-strategy/): The government unveiled its first ever UK sanctions strategy last week to coincide with the two-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. There is no doubt that this anniversary should be an important moment to take stock of how well the UK’s new post-Brexit sanctions regime is working, and to lay out the government’s plans for the future use of sanctions. - [Closing the door on open justice in a creaking court system?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/closing-the-door-on-open-justice/): Despite its much-touted commitment to open justice, the English court system can be difficult to navigate, even for experienced lawyers and seasoned reporters. For ordinary members of the public, trying to find out and follow what’s happening in the courts can be truly bewildering.  - [Courts and Tribunals Observers’ Network letter to Lady Chief Justice and Lord Chancellor](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/courts-and-tribunals-observers-letter/): The guide is not only inadequate as a charter of public access rights but also inaccurate in a number of respects, as analysed by our partners in the Courts and Tribunals Observers’ Network. We have written a joint letter to the Lady Chief Justice, Lord Chancellor and Chair of the Justice Committee expressing our concerns about the deficiencies in this guidance, and calling for more inclusive stakeholder engagement on open justice issues that includes representation from different professional and civil society groups. - [New SFO director Nick Ephgrave matches ambition with innovation in his first public speech](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/new-sfo-director-nick-ephgrave-speech/): Giving his first public speech yesterday as the new Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Nick Ephgrave set out his stall for how the agency will become faster, bolder and stronger in tackling the evolving threat of economic crime under his leadership. Here are our key takeaways from Ephgrave’s ambitious vision for the SFO. - [Mozambique “Tuna Bond” settlement reveals almost $130 million in agreed payments to creditors](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/mozambique-tuna-bond-settlement/): Spotlight on Corruption and partners have obtained a copy of the Mozambique "Tuna Bond" settlement agreement with Credit Suisse and 11 other financial institutions, exposing for the first time the monetary and other costs attached to avoiding a full-scale trial. While the settlement lowered the stakes of an all-or-nothing London trial, it has left the Mozambican people in the dark about who is responsible for the "hidden debt" that crippled the country's economy. - [Regulators failing to hold senior executives to account for economic crime, new analysis reveals](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/hold-senior-executives-to-account/): A major review published today by Spotlight on Corruption shows that senior executives at the helm of large British companies that engage in economic crime, financial wrongdoing or regulatory breaches almost never face any consequences at all. The anti-corruption charity is calling for a major review of the law. - [Will the UK’s new anti-corruption strategy be a paper tiger or slay the dragon?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/the-uks-new-anti-corruption-strategy/): At some stage early this year the UK should be launching a new Anti-Corruption Strategy. The last one ended over a year ago in December 2022. The Strategy is already delayed – it was widely trailed by ministers on various occasions in Parliament as coming out by the end of 2023. - [OFSI report reveals lack of Russia sanctions enforcement action](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/ofsi-russia-sanctions-enforcement/): OFSI’s states that it will move towards more “proactive” sanctions enforcement. However, it also said last year that it would implement a “new, intelligence-led, proactive” approach to compliance and enforcement. Some hard questions need to be asked of OFSI by Parliament about why its enforcement is consistently so weak in relation to the Russian sanctions regime. - [Briefing: Urgent reforms needed to safeguard the UK’s electoral integrity](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/reforms-needed-safeguard-elections/): This briefing looks at recent Government measures in relation to electoral integrity, the issues that need to be tackled to ensure the integrity of the next election and at the reforms – of both the UK’s laws and enforcement regime – that are needed to tackle them. - [Briefing: New rules on overseas voters increase risk of foreign money influencing UK politics](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/overseas-voters-risk-foreign-money/): On Tuesday 12 December, the House of Lords debated a statutory instrument (SI) removing the 15-year limit on voting rights for UK citizens living abroad. The government estimates that as a result of the change between 3.2-3.4 million British nationals living overseas could become eligible to vote, (and therefore donate to candidates and political parties) and form unincorporated associations (UAs) with two or more registered overseas electors. This would allow overseas voters whether individually or through such associations to spend potentially significant amounts of money on UK election campaigns. As highlighted by MPs and Peers when they debated this SI, and in a regret motion tabled by Labour in the Lords that passed as an amendment to the SI, this change could “dangerously weaken” restrictions on overseas political donations and allow foreign money into our democracy. - [The harms of Glencore’s corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/glencores-corruption-drc-and-nigeria/): Joint briefing on behalf of Resource Matters, ANEEJ and Spotlight on Corruption - [The integrity of the UK’s next election is at serious risk from rogue actors overseas](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/enforcement-electoral-finance-laws/): This week Spotlight on Corruption wrote to the National Crime Agency (NCA) to urge it to take a leading role in coordinating enforcement of the UK’s electoral finance laws – to fill the gap that’s currently leaving us exposed to dirty money and foreign influence and to protect the integrity of the next election. - [Regulating the accountancy profession for money laundering – is business as usual working?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/regulating-the-accountancy-profession/): Over the summer the government consulted on whether major reform was needed to the UK’s regime for supervising money laundering. On the table were some admirably ambitious proposals, including having a new statutory supervisor to supervise money laundering in the legal and accountancy professions – currently supervised by 22 different professional bodies. - [Press release: Corruption trial of two middlemen in UK-Saudi arms deal gets underway](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/corruption-trial-uk-saudi-arms-deal/): This week the long-awaited trial of two individuals accused by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) of paying millions in bribes to senior Saudi officials to secure lucrative defence contracts for the UK government has kicked off in a London court. - [How will the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act help fight corruption, and does it go far enough?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/how-will-the-economic-crime-and-corporate-transparency-act-help-fight-corruption-and-does-it-go-far-enough/): Introduced in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which highlighted the UK’s role as a hub for illicit Russian money, the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA) has finally become law. From our perspective, the key changes, and areas the government could have gone further, are:     - [Government responds to letter from NGOs urging UK ministers to return Nigerian assets stolen by James Ibori](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/government-responds-to-letter-from-ngos-urging-uk-ministers-to-return-nigerian-assets-stolen-by-james-ibori/): Spotlight on Corruption in September 2023 joined almost 50 other Nigerian and UK civil society organisations organisations in writing to Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to urge them to ensure the prompt, transparent and accountable return of more than £100 million in assets stolen by James Ibori, the corrupt former governor of Nigeria’s Delta State. - [Nigeria wins challenge to $11 billion arbitral awards procured through fraud](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/nigeria-wins-challenge-to-11-billion-arbitral-awards-procured-through-fraud/): Today Nigeria prevailed in its monumental challenge to arbitral awards worth more than $11 billion that were obtained by a small offshore company following a failed gas project in Nigeria. The High Court ruled that Process & Industrial Developments Limited (P&ID) paid bribes when brokering the lucrative gas processing contract, and then “practised the most severe abuses of the arbitral process” in order to procure awards in their favour from a London tribunal. - [Mozambique settles “hidden debt” on eve of London bribery trial](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/mozambique-settles-hidden-debt-on-eve-of-london-bribery-trial/): Mozambique has struck a last-minute deal to end a high-stakes dispute over Credit Suisse’s role in the “tuna bond” corruption scandal, which was set to go to trial in London this week. Formally announced on 2 October 2023, the settlement provides welcome relief for the Mozambican government by writing off significant debts owed to Credit Suisse under a loan agreement with the state-owned company ProIndicus which was tainted by grand corruption and kept hidden from the Mozambican people. - [Alliance of NGOs urges UK ministers to return Nigerian assets stolen by James Ibori](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/ngos-assets-stolen-by-james-ibori/): Spotlight on Corruption has joined almost 50 other anti-corruption organisations in writing to Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to urge them to ensure the prompt, transparent and accountable return of more than £100 million in assets stolen by James Ibori, the corrupt former governor of Nigeria's Delta State. - [Spotlight launches its Impact Report 2019-2023](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/spotlight-launches-its-impact-report/): Spotlight on Corruption is four years old this month. We've done a lot in that time. So much in fact that we’ve wrapped up a summary of our achievements in our brand new Impact Report that we’re delighted to be able to share with you. - [The UK must up its game on asset recovery to tackle corruption and kleptocracy](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/uk-must-up-its-game-on-asset-recovery/): Just how much does the UK recover from corruption? Annual asset recovery statistics published last week show some modest progress in the UK’s asset recovery performance, with a strong showing on the 6-year average.  - [UK government misses key opportunities to strengthen the Economic Crime Bill](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/strengthen-economic-crime-bill/): The government on Monday resisted key amendments to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill despite strong cross-party support including from prominent and well-respected former Conservative law officers.  - [First-ever court challenge to Russia sanctions fails](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/challenge-to-russia-sanctions-fails/): Today the first-ever judicial challenge to a designation under the UK’s Russia sanctions regime was dismissed, as the High Court upheld the government’s decision to impose sanctions against the US-UK dual national Eugene Shvidler. The billionaire businessman, who is a long-standing friend and business associate of Russian oligarch and former Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich, had argued that sanctions against him were disproportionate and discriminatory. - [Integrity-lite: how the government’s standards reforms stack up (in pictures)](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/integrity-lite-standards-reforms-stack/): With just hours to go before Parliament went on recess, the government last week snuck out its long awaited (and very overdue) response to three separate independent reports on strengthening ethics and integrity in central government. - [A policy misfire? How the new sanctions restrictions fail to stop Russia benefitting from UK legal advice](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/legal-sanctions-fail-to-stop-russia/): At the end of June 2023, the UK introduced new restrictions to prohibit lawyers from advising Russian companies on certain business transactions that would be prohibited under sanctions if they happened in the UK. The stated purpose of the new restrictions is to thwart Russia “from benefitting economically from the UK’s world-leading legal expertise”.  - [Press release: £101 million of Ibori loot confiscated a decade after conviction](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/101-million-of-ibori-loot-confiscated/): Today a London court ordered the confiscation of £101.5 million from high-profile Nigerian politician James Ibori who laundered his corrupt loot into the UK with the help of close associates. - [Double standards: If APPGs should know the true source of their funds, why shouldn’t political parties?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/double-standards-appgs-source-of-funds/): Earlier this month, the government accepted and enlarged upon recommendations from Parliament’s Committee on Standards for stronger rules for the UK's All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) – the informal groups that have long been criticised for creating a backdoor for big money and foreign governments to influence legislators.  - [Costs protection for law enforcement is vital if we’re to take on corrupt elites](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/costs-protection-for-law-enforcement/): There is strong appetite within law enforcement for costs protection in civil recovery cases. The Chief Capability Officer of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) told the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill Committee that the SFO would like to see this while the head of the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC) told the same Committee that they find costs protection “an attractive proposal.” - [Spotlight on Corruption intervenes in key proceeds of crime case](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/spoc-intervenes-in-proceeds-crime-case/): Spotlight on Corruption is delighted to have been granted permission to intervene in a landmark Court of Appeal case which has significant implications for the UK’s anti-money laundering regime. - [Peers defeat government on key amendments to the ECCTB](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/key-amendments-to-the-ecctb/): The House of Lords yesterday voted through three key amendments to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (ECCTB) at Report Stage. Spotlight on Corruption has long advocated the measures in these amendments and urges the government to accept them when the Bill returns to the Commons. - [Press release: ACOBA letter reveals system that’s not fit for purpose](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/acoba-system-not-fit-for-purpose/): Today’s publication of Lord Pickles’ letter regarding Boris Johnson’s role as a columnist for the Daily Mail shows that the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) system is broken. As Lord Pickles makes clear, Johnson's breach of the ‘revolving door’ rules shows how toothless his body is, and how the ‘good chaps’ approach to regulating standards in public life is not fit for purpose. ## Pages - [About This Project](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/about-this-project/): The goal of the anti-corruption enforcement tracker is to provide insight into how corruption, and other economic crimes closely associated with corruption, are addressed by UK law enforcement authorities. It does this by publishing public but hard to find data on the enforcement of anti-corruption laws and regulations. - [Data Sources](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/data-sources/): The data behind these visualisations was taken from the following sources: - [Methodology](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/methodology-2/): The anti-corruption enforcement tracker visualises publicly available data on anti-corruption enforcement and other related economic crime in the UK. In particular, it includes data on: - [Asset Recovery Tracker](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/corruption-and-economic-crime-enforcement-tracker/asset-recovery-tracker/): This section tracks the amount of criminal assets or ‘dirty money’ which law enforcement has recovered since 2013/14 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. - [Bribery Enforcement Tracker](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/corruption-and-economic-crime-enforcement-tracker/bribery-enforcement-tracker/): This section tracks the enforcement of key bribery offences. - [Fraud Enforcement Tracker](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/corruption-and-economic-crime-enforcement-tracker/fraud-enforcement-tracker/): This section tracks the enforcement of overall fraud offences (covering both fraud against individuals and businesses as well as public sector fraud, e.g. tax evasion and benefits fraud) as well as key fraud offences which may overlap with corrupt activity.  - [Anti-Corruption Enforcement Tracker](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/corruption-and-economic-crime-enforcement-tracker/): Welcome to the anti-corruption enforcement tracker - [Money Laundering Tracker](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/corruption-and-economic-crime-enforcement-tracker/money-laundering-tracker/): This section tracks prosecutions and convictions for key offences that may be used to tackle the laundering of corrupt funds. - [Cases](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/cases/) - [Support our work](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/support-our-work/): You can support the work of Spotlight on Corruption by making a donation through the CharitiesAid Foundation. - [Newsletter](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/newsletter/) - [Money Laundering & Asset Recovery](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/better-laws/money-laundering-asset-recovery/): The UK, as a major financial centre, and its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, have long been attractive destinations for laundering dirty money. In 2018, the Financial Action Task Force found that the UK faces “significant money laundering risks from overseas” because of its status as a global financial centre and as the world’s largest cross-border banking centre. - [Anti-Bribery Legislation](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/better-laws/anti-bribery-legislation/): Bribes paid by individuals and businesses to win public contracts help sustain corrupt systems and regimes. - [Funders & Partners](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/about-us/funders-partners/) - [Transparency & Governance](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/about-us/transparency-governance/): As an organisation dedicated to fighting corruption, you will not be surprised that we believe strongly in transparency at Spotlight. Here you can find our annual report to the Charity Commission and details of our governance policies.  - [Funders & Partners](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/funders-partners/): We are currently funded by the following donors: - [Publications](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/publications/) - [Court Transparency](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/court-transparency/) - [Stronger Systems](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/stronger-systems/): Spotlight campaigns for the UK government to put in place stronger anti-corruption measures to tackle corruption at home and abroad. Current areas of work include encouraging full use of the UK’s Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions regime; improvements in government procurement; effective regulation of standards around ethics and integrity in public life; and rules for removing dirty money from UK political party funding. - [Tougher Enforcement](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/tougher-enforcement/): Spotlight campaigns to ensure that the UK has more effective and transparent anti-corruption law enforcement to tackle economic crime. Our work includes monitoring the work and funding of the UK’s economic crime enforcement agencies; acting to improve transparency and open justice in the UK courts for economic crime cases; and encouraging greater representation of the harms caused by corruption, compensation for its victims, and the transparent return of corrupt assets. - [Better Laws](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/better-laws/): Spotlight campaigns for the UK to have a robust legislative and regulatory framework for prosecuting and sanctioning corruption and other economic crimes. Our work includes encouraging the introduction of more stringent corporate criminal liability reforms, including greater accountability for senior executives, and calling for more effective supervision and regulation for money laundering. - [Contact Us](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/contact/): While we welcome correspondence, please note that Spotlight is a small charity focused on anti-corruption policy and research. We do not have the capability to investigate individual cases or to provide legal advice, nor do we accept unsolicited articles for publication. - [About Us](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/about-us/): Spotlight on Corruption shines a light on the UK's role in corruption at home and abroad. - [News](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/news/) - [Home – Spotlight on Corruption](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/) - [Corporate Criminal Liability](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/better-laws/corporate-liability/): Corporate criminal liability refers to how companies can be prosecuted for crime. Incentivising companies to comply with the law is key to deterring corruption and money-laundering. ## Impacts - [Highlighting a major UK-Saudi bribery scandal](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/impact/highlighting-uk-saudi-bribery/): After several years campaigning to ensure the Serious Fraud Office’s investigation into bribes on Saudi defence contracts was not derailed by political interference, we were delighted when it did finally come to court. As the case against Airbus subsidiary, GPT Special Project Management Ltd and individuals passed through the courts, we got into the nitty gritty of the shocking allegations emerging about high-level authorisation of bribes by UK Ministry of Defence officials. Collecting the transcripts, applying for the evidence, we worked with the Guardian newspaper, to piece together what the MOD knew and gather substantial evidence from the court proceedings. Without that painstaking work, the full details of how government officials continued to consider how to pay Saudi officials well after a whistleblower went to law enforcement, and even as late as 2017 would not have come out.  - [Making the most of the UK’s new sanctions powers](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/impact/making-most-sanctions-powers/): Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine led to a large expansion in the use of sanctions by the government, but also consumed most of its sanctions capacity. We have worked with civil society partners to highlight gaps in enforcement of the regime and apply pressure on government to improve its sanctions response.  - [Defending integrity and ethics in UK public life](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/impact/ethics-in-uk-public-life/): Given the political ethics scandals of recent years and declining trust in politicians, Spotlight has worked closely to reform how ethics in UK public life are regulated. - [Rooting out dirty money from our politics](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/impact/rooting-out-dirty-money-politics/): Dirty money risks polluting our politics. Over the last three years, Spotlight has monitored several court cases involving prominent political donors alleged to be associated with corruption or money laundering. - [Exposing the lack of senior executive accountability for economic crime](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/impact/senior-executive-accountability/): There have long been calls for greater senior executive accountability for economic crime but not much research to show the scale of the UK’s enforcement gap for senior executives.  In January 2024 we published a major report: Power Without Responsibility: The state of senior executive accountability for economic crime in the UK today.  - [Shutting down the UK’s Golden Visa regime](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/impact/ending-the-uks-golden-visa-regime/): In July 2021, we published a briefing, Red Carpet for Dirty Money: The UK’s Golden Visa Regime – which was covered in The Times – looking at the ongoing risks inherent in the UK’s Tier 1 (Investor) visa regime (‘Golden Visas’), which granted preferential visa treatment to people willing to invest large sums of money in the UK.  - [Barring corrupt firms from public procurement](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/impact/barring-corrupt-firms-from-uk-public-procurement/): Excluding companies that engage in wrongdoing or provide shoddy services on public contracts is a crucial way to protect taxpayers’ money and to encourage better corporate behaviour. However, the UK has rarely used its current powers to do so and there is little public consciousness about its effectiveness as a tool. - [Seeking compensation for victims of corruption](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/impact/seeking-fair-compensation-for-victims/): The victims of corruption – whether it be communities blighted by shoddy corrupt contracts, or people subject to autocratic regimes sustained through money laundering schemes using the UK financial system – rarely get a look in when it comes to compensation.  - [Champions of open justice](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/impact/advocating-for-open-justice/): Spotlight works hard to make sure that the courts are as transparent as possible so that the public can understand and scrutinise how effectively the justice system is operating. - [An end to impunity for big business?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/impact/making-the-case-for-corporate-criminal-liability-reform/): The UK is, at last, poised to enact meaningful corporate criminal liability reforms. Three years ago, there was little realistic probability of the government ever introducing corporate liability reform. We have worked closely with politicians of all parties to address this crucial legislative gap. - [Analysing anti-money laundering supervision of the UK legal sector](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/impact/examining-anti-money-laundering-supervision-of-the-legal-sector/): Our major report on the UK’s legal sector and money laundering rules, A Privileged Profession?, was published in October 2022.  - [Securing the resources to fight economic crime](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/impact/boosting-the-uks-economic-crime-fighting-agencies/): Even the best anti-corruption laws are useless if they aren’t enforced. That’s why Spotlight advocates robustly for increased funding of the UK’s economic crime fighting agencies. ## Team - [Megan Davis](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/megan-davis/) - [Justin Moore](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/justin-moore/) - [Jonathan Akpakpavi](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/jonathan-akpakpavi/) - [Sam Parrett-Jung](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/sam-parrett-jung/) - [Sir David Green KC](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/sir-david-green-kc/) - [Professor Elizabeth David-Barrett](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/professor-elizabeth-david-barrett/) - [Oliver Bullough](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/oliver-bullough/) - [Tamlyn Edmonds](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/tamlyn-edmonds/) - [Dr Nicholas Lord](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/dr-nicholas-lord/) - [Helena Wood](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/helena-wood/) - [Jon Benton](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/jon-benton/) - [Lloydette Bai-Marrow](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/lloydette-bai-marrow/) - [Jon Date](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/jon-date/) - [Sam Eastwood](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/sam-eastwood/) - [Angus Brown](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/angus-brown/) - [Mai Davies](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/mai-davies/) - [Dr Susan Hawley](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/dr-susan-hawley/) - [Dr Helen Taylor](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/dr-helen-taylor/) - [Peter Holland](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/peter-holland/) - [James Bolton-Jones](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/james-bolton-jones/) - [Kathryn Busby](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/kathryn-busby/) - [Alex Beatty](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/alex-beatty/) - [Kamila Kingstone](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/team/kamila-kingstone/) ## Reports - [Bold ideas for electoral reform: Closing the loopholes on foreign donations through companies](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/loopholes-on-foreign-donations/): Spotlight asked electoral experts what they want to see in the upcoming Elections Bill. Here former Electoral Commission chief executive Bob Posner discusses how to block foreign donations. - [Briefing: How foreign or hostile actors could hijack the next General Election](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/hostile-actors-hijack-the-next-general-election/): The British electoral system is wide open to abuse from malign or foreign actors seeking to unfairly influence our politics as a result of major loopholes in election law which puts the integrity of the next General Election at risk.  - [Future-proofing the Electoral Commission: why restoring and bolstering its full independence is essential](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/future-proofing-the-electoral-commission-why-restoring-and-bolstering-its-full-independence-is-essential/): The Electoral Commission is no ordinary regulator. In order to safeguard UK democracy and the trust of the British public in elections, it is critical that it is robustly independent, and that its activities and operations are completely free from any political influence. - [Bold ideas for electoral reform: Protecting the independence of the Electoral Commission](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/independence-of-the-electoral-commission/): Spotlight on Corruption asked electoral experts what they want to see in the upcoming Elections Bill. Here Professor Alistair Clark outlines measures to protect the independence of the Electoral Commission. - [Briefing on the Serious Fraud Office](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/briefing-on-the-serious-fraud-office/): The Serious Fraud Office plays a vital role as the only UK law enforcement agency with a single, specialised focus on fighting serious and complex economic crime. This briefing highlights key reforms to unlock the SFO's full potential so that the agency is empowered to protect the UK’s reputation as a safe place to do business and help generate sustainable economic growth. - [Bold ideas for electoral reform: A ‘democracy backstop’ to protect elections](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/bold-ideas-a-democracy-backstop/): These problems could be addressed if a ‘democracy backstop’ was placed at £1 million. - [Levelling the playing field: How economic policy gets captured and what to do about it](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/levelling-the-playing-field/): Fair and transparent decision-making in government is critical for addressing historically low levels of public trust in the UK. Recent surveys have shown that 66% of people feel they have little or no opportunities to influence government decisions while 63% believe the very rich have too much influence. - [Gatekeepers, enablers or technicians? The contested role of lawyers as facilitators of kleptocracy and grand corruption](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/gatekeepers-enablers-or-technicians-the-contested-role-of-lawyers/): Conducted under the Governance & Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence (GI ACE) programme, the project situates this lively debate about the role of lawyers as “professional enablers” on a sound evidential basis. The research involved a review of recent academic scholarship on transnational kleptocracy and legal ethics, semi-structured interviews with 28 experts (mainly lawyers), an analysis of 1,596 public comments posted in response to ten relevant media articles, and a review of the professional codes of conduct of 20 UK law firms. - [Broken Record: Latest round of legal sector AML reports show it is time for reform](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/broken-record-legal-sector-aml/): Lawyers need to be at the forefront of preventing dirty money entering the UK. But time and again lawyers have been found to be some of the most prominent professionals at the heart of laundering schemes, or facilitating transactions for clients against whom there are widespread allegations of corruption. - [Briefing: Lessons from the UK PPE scandals](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/briefing-lesson-uk-ppe-scandals/): The lessons from the UK PPE scandals must be learned and those responsible must be held accountable. Public trust in government was seriously eroded by the sight of friends of ministers and party donors getting privileged access to emergency contracts and walking away with huge fortunes. - [Back of the courtroom queue: How to tackle serious delays in economic crime cases in the courts of England and Wales](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/back-of-the-courtroom-queue-rpt/): Backlogs in the courts now exceed 70,000, while more than a quarter (27%) of all trials are adjourned, and only 43% go ahead on time. The lack of judicial sitting days and barristers is primarily to blame. - [Forging a virtuous circle: Reinvesting fines and criminal assets to turbocharge the fight against economic crime](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/forging-a-virtuous-circle/): The UK agencies tasked with fighting economic crime together generate £566 million pounds on average each year for the government through seizing criminal assets and imposing regulatory and criminal fines. But despite these agencies’ major contribution to the public purse, the Treasury holds on to most of these funds. Meanwhile, these agencies are left chronically underfunded, struggling to attract and retain specialist staff and held back by outdated technology. - [Is Britain’s FBI on its knees? How to make the National Crime Agency a genuinely elite crime fighting force](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/britains-fbi-on-its-knees-rept/): The UK’s National Crime Agency – widely dubbed Britain’s FBI – is at a crossroads. If it is to be at the forefront of the UK’s fight against serious and organised crime, including corruption, money laundering and fraud, it needs investment. - [Global Corruption Busters: How development aid can boost the UK’s fight against dirty money](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/global-corruption-busters-rept/): Corruption costs lives in developing countries and the UK is part of the problem. Its army of ‘professional enablers’ (including bankers, lawyers, estate agents and accountants) help to launder and hide money stolen from developing countries, whilst UK companies hand out bribes to access lucrative resources and contracts. - [All bark and no bite?: Taking stock of the UK’s enforcement of sanctions](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/all-bark-and-no-bite-report/): Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 sparked a radical shift in the UK’s use of sanctions, as the UK scaled up its ambition for this key tool of economic statecraft to deter Kremlin aggression. To its credit, the UK acted swiftly to introduce reforms that enabled it to impose faster, broader and tougher sanctions on Russia. - [Briefing: How Australia has tackled its public ethics crisis](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/australia-tackled-public-ethics/): Political integrity crises are not unique to the UK. Over the past decade, Australia has faced its own issues, dropping in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index by over 10 places between 2012 and 2021 – much like the UK. Today we are publishing a briefing on how Australia dealt with it by creating a National Anti-Corruption Commission, looking at the background to its creation and the lessons for the UK. - [Power Without Responsibility: The state of senior executive accountability for economic crime in the UK today](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/power-without-responsibility/): The UK has a serious accountability gap when it comes to senior executives. Those at the helm of large firms that engage in economic crime, financial wrongdoing or regulatory breaches rarely face any consequence at all. - [Joint briefing: Rebuilding trust in politics and restoring integrity in public life](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/rebuilding-trust-in-politics/): Spotlight on Corruption and Transparency International UK have produced a joint briefing ahead of a debate in the House of Lords on 11 January 2024 on parliamentary democracy and standards in public life. With trust in politics at a record low, and strong appetite for significant reforms to uphold public integrity, the briefing looks at reforms which would help restore standards in public life.  - [Briefing: Tackling serious fraud and corruption against the government](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/corruption-against-the-government/): This research provides an overview of the rules that the UK’s key allies (the United States, Canada and Australia) have to tackle fraud against the government in their jurisdictions and recommends key measures that would counter fraud and corruption against the UK government. - [Briefing: ongoing lobbying loopholes despite recent government commitments to reform](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/briefing-lobbying-loopholes/): After reforms to lobbying rules are eventually implemented, there will still be no requirement to disclose non-diarised informal lobbying in departments’ transparency releases, even if it impacts upon or shapes government policy. This major loophole was highlighted by a recent Financial Times article. - [Briefings: strengthening the new failure to prevent fraud offence by ensuring it applies to all companies except micro-businesses, and introducing cost protection for law enforcement in civil recovery cases](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/briefings-strengthening-the-new-failure-to-prevent-fraud-offence-by-ensuring-it-applies-to-all-companies-except-micro-businesses-and-introducing-cost-protection-for-law-enforcement-in-civil-recovery/): On Monday 10 September Peers voted through amendments 151B and 151C – sponsored by former Conservative Solicitor General Lord Garnier – which would exempt only micro-businesses from the new failure to prevent fraud offence in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill. Micro-businesses are defined as having a turnover of less than £632,000, a balance sheet of less than £316,000, and fewer than 10 employees. This represents a major concession to government in light of concerns that including all SMEs in the new offence would impose burdens on small businesses. - [Briefing: First-ever court challenge to Russia sanctions designation](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/challenge-to-russia-sanctions/): The UK has designated more than 1,600 individuals and 220 entities in an unprecedented roll-out of sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Today, for the very first time, the courts are being called on to review the UK government’s approach to targeting individuals under the Russia sanctions regime. - [Briefing: ECCTB Day 2 – (Lords) Report Stage Amendments](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/ecctb-day-2-lords-amendments/): In the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill is a crucial contribution to improving the UK’s armoury for tackling dirty money. However, key gaps remain in the Bill. The following amendments, listed in the order of expected proceedings for the second day of Report Stage in the House of Lords (27th June), are supported by the UK Anti-Corruption Coalition Illicit Finance Working Group, of which Spotlight on Corruption is a member. - [Briefing: Safeguarding the UK’s Electoral System from Foreign Interference](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/safeguarding-electoral-system/): In March, the House of Lords passed an amendment to the National Security Bill to require UK political parties to identify and manage the risks of donations from foreign powers. The government voted against that amendment in the Commons despite strong cross-party support. On Wednesday 21 June, Peers will have the opportunity to once again support either the amendment or one tabled in lieu that retains the core aims of the original. - [Briefing: Q&A on the new ‘failure to prevent fraud’ offence](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/briefing-qa-on-the-new-failure-to-prevent-fraud-offence/): Government amendment 84A to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill introduces a new ‘failure to prevent fraud’ offence. This implements an important part of the Law Commission’s recommendations on reform to the UK’s corporate liability framework. - [JAVAD MARANDI – Who is the Conservative Party donor with alleged links to the vast money laundering operation known as the Azerbaijani Laundromat?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/javad-marandi-who-is-the-conservative-party-donor-with-alleged-links-to-the-vast-money-laundering-operation-known-as-the-azerbaijani-laundromat/): Javad Marandi, an international businessman and major donor to the Conservative Party, can nowbe named as someone found to be “a person of importance” in a court case about the moneylaundering operation dubbed the “Azerbaijani Laundromat”. No findings of wrongdoing have beenmade against Mr Marandi. However, the proceedings and underlying facts – including Mr Marandi’salleged involvement with key persons and companies at the heart of the Laundromat – raise anumber of unanswered questions with significant public interest that require further investigation. - [Briefing: Blind Trusts – integrity silver bullet or transparency blackhole?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/briefing-blind-trusts/): As recognised by the OECD in 2003 guidance on managing conflicts of interest, blind trusts are a widely used tool to help politicians balance the responsibilities of public office without having to dispose of their private interests. In this briefing, Spotlight on Corruption revisits our previous analysis from 2020 on blind trusts in light of recent developments, and looks again at just how effective these arrangements are at preventing conflicts of interest. We propose recommendations outlining what needs to change in order to improve the system and ensure high standards at the heart of government. - [Integrity Deferred? An audit of government implementation of standards recommendations made by independent expert bodies](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/integrity-deferred-standards/): Five months ago, on the steps of Downing Street, new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to lead a government with “integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level.” That pledge represented a tacit acceptance that standards in public life had fallen below reasonable expectations and that a different style of governing was in order. - [Briefing: Amendment to the National Security Bill](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/briefing-national-security-bill/): Lord Carlile of Berriew has tabled an amendment to the National Security Bill at Report stage which would require UK political parties to identify and manage the risks of donations from foreign powers. - [Briefing: Expanding sanctions evasion as a basis for seizing frozen assets](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/expanding-sanctions-evasion/): This amendment would expand the scope of conduct that constitutes sanctions evasion so that undisclosed frozen assets would potentially be recoverable as the proceeds of crime. - [Briefing: Enhancing law enforcement efforts on asset recovery](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/briefing-on-asset-recovery/): Spotlight on Corruption proposes an amendment to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill that would extend the new costs order regime introduced for Unexplained Wealth Orders in the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 to all economic crime related civil recovery cases. (N.B. For the purposes of this amendment, “cases of economic crime” would include offences under Schedule 8 of the Bill.) - [Briefing: Corporate Liability Reform for economic crime](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/corporate-liability-reform/): Spotlight on Corruption strongly supports an amendment to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill that: - [Briefing: Response to legal sector concerns about new measures for legal sector regulators in the ECCTB](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/response-legal-sector-concerns/): The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (ECCTB) contains some new provisions (including government amendments brought forward in the Commons) to ensure legal sector regulators play a robust role in tackling economic crime. These include: - [Briefing: The work of the Serious Fraud Office](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/briefing-the-work-of-the-serious-fraud-office/): The SFO has come under intense scrutiny after a series of high-profile setbacks, with recent reviews by Brian Altman KC and Sir David Calvert-Smith KC providing forensic insight into the disclosure failures that caused the collapse of the Serco and Unaoil cases. The lack of resourcing, outdated technology and poor management has resulted in overstretched case teams, poor quality assurance and disclosure failures, leaving the SFO with exorbitant legal bills that could have been avoided if these challenges facing the SFO had been addressed sooner.  - [A Privileged Profession? How the UK’s legal sector escapes effective supervision for money laundering](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/a-privileged-profession-how-the-uks-legal-sector-escapes-effective-supervision-for-money-laundering/): From setting up complex company structures for clients to helping purchase luxury real estate and negotiate mortgages, lawyers play a critical role in facilitating and legitimising money flows. Their role as witting or unwitting “enablers” of money laundering has long been recognised. - [What could a UK Integrity and Ethics Commission look like?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/what-could-a-uk-integrity-and-ethics-commission-look-like/): The last few years have seen intense and growing public debate about how the standards of behaviour by politicians and senior government officials should be regulated in the UK. At the same time, a series of major independent reviews have recommended a wholesale upgrade of the standards framework, from the UK’s top ethics advisory group, the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL), to the government-commissioned review into the Greensill scandal by Nigel Boardman. - [Overall findings from JL Partners public polling on standards in public life](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/spotlight-on-corruption-overall-findings-from-jl-partners-public-polling-on-standards-in-public-life/) - [The Home Office has scrapped golden visas. This is what should happen next.](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/the-home-office-has-scrapped-golden-visas-this-is-what-should-happen-next/): On 17 February 2022, the Home Office scrapped the UK’s Tier 1 Investor visa route (‘golden visas’) without formal notice and with immediate effect. This decision is welcome – last year, Spotlight on Corruption published research which revealed serious concerns with ongoing loopholes that left the visa route vulnerable to dirty money. While we support the government’s decision to scrap the route, we urge the government to go further and take the following steps. - [Closing the UK’s economic crime enforcement gap: Proposals for boosting resources for UK law enforcement to fight economic crime](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/closing-the-uks-economic-crime-enforcement-gap-proposals-for-boosting-resources-for-uk-law-enforcement-to-fight-economic-crime/): Economic crime – which includes corruption, bribery, money laundering and fraud – poses a major risk to the UK’s national security, corrupts financial institutions and markets, reduces economic performance and undermines the integrity and reputation of the UK and its economy as a safe place to do business. - [Briefing: Red Carpet for Dirty Money – The UK’s Golden Visa Regime](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/new-briefing-red-carpet-for-dirty-money-the-uks-golden-visa-regime/) - [Briefing: Is the government getting serious about conflicts of interest?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/briefing-is-the-government-getting-serious-about-conflicts-of-interest/): In light of the depth of concern at the government’s handling of conflict of interest issues, the new procurement policy note represents a useful clarification of the existing rules and policy frameworks. Disappointingly, it only introduces minor changes that fall far short of what is needed to fix what is clearly a broken system. - [Briefing: Account Freezing Orders – Law Enforcement’s Ace of Spades](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/briefing-account-freezing-orders-law-enforcements-ace-of-spades/): Account Freezing Orders (AFO) were introduced in the UK in the 2017 Criminal Finances Act, alongside Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs), as a new measure designed to tackle illicit finance. While receiving far less attention than their glitzy sister order, AFOs are emerging as the preferred tool for law enforcement to freeze and recover corrupt assets in a relatively straightforward and cost-effective way. - [Policy Briefing: The UK needs a new national strategy in handling conflicts of interest in public procurement](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/policy-briefing-the-uks-wto-allies-show-way-forward-in-handling-conflicts-of-interest-in-public-procurement/): UK needs much stronger rules to prevent new chumocracy scandals. Post-Brexit procurement reform is an opportunity to create a tough national strategy drawing on best practice from US & Canada. 28 January 2021 - [Policy Briefing: Amendment to the Financial Services Bill](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/policy-briefing-ammendment-to-the-financial-services-bill/): Parliamentary briefing on adding an ammendment to the Financial Services Bill to create a new corporate criminal offence for facilitating or failing to prevent economic crime - [Weak Link or first line of defence? The role of UK Export Finance in fighting corruption in a post-coronavirus and post-brexit trade drive](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/uk-export-finance-report/): Spotlight on Corruption is today releasing a major new report on the role of UK Export Finance (UKEF) in fighting corruption in the UK’s post-Brexit and post-coronavirus trade drive. UKEF is a government agency that provides taxpayer support to underwrite the majority of financial risk that UK companies face when exporting abroad. - [Towards a national commitment on open justice data in the United Kingdom](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/report/towards-a-national-commitment-on-open-justice-data-in-the-united-kingdom/): Report by Spotlight on Corruption and the Open Government Network ## Submissions - [Submission to Foreign Affairs Committee sanctions inquiry, March 2025](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/foreign-affairs-committee-sanctions-inquiry/): Written evidence submitted to the Foreign Affairs Committee sanctions inquiry by Spotlight on Corruption and the International Lawyers Project. - [Submission to Legal Services Board consultation: new regulatory objective on economic crime, February 2025](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/regulatory-objective-on-economic-crime/): Spotlight on Corruption's submission to Legal Services Board's consultation on the new regulatory objective on economic crime, 7 February 2025. - [Submission to the Spending Review 2025 – Phase 2, February 2025](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/spending-review-2025-ph-2/): This submission sets out why the second phase of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2025 is a major opportunity to enhance the UK’s ability to fight economic crime and promote economic growth for law abiding business. - [Submission to HM Treasury consultation on improving the effectiveness of the Money Laundering Regulations](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/hmt-consultation-on-mlrs/): This submission answers a number of specific questions presented in HM Treasury's consultation on the Money Laundering Regulations which ran from 11 March 2024 to 9 June 2024. - [Submission to Treasury Select Committee inquiry: Are the UK’s Russian financial sanctions working?](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/sub-are-sanctions-working/): Over the past year we have monitored the enforcement of sanctions breaches and challenges to sanctions designations in the UK courts, based on our court monitoring programme and enforcement expertise. - [Submission to the Civil Procedure Rules Committee consultation: Access to court documents by non-parties](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/cprc-access-to-documents/): As regular observers of court proceedings, our experience is that the public access rights which flow from the principle of open justice are not always a practical reality. The most frequent and frustrating challenge we encounter in this regard relates to our requests for non-party access to court documents. - [Further submission to the Arbitration Bill Special Bill Committee, February 2024](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/add-submission-arbitration/): We submitted evidence to the Arbitration Bill Special Bill Committee on 6 February 2024. This further evidence is submitted on invitation from the Chair to address three additional questions as answered below. - [Submission to Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy inquiry on defending democracy, March 2024](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/jcnss-defending-democracy/): Threats to the UK’s democracy in the context of election finance, including foreign money, dirty money and the risk of undue influence by high-level donors. - [Submission to the Criminal Justice Bill Public Bill Committee, January 2024](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/submission-to-the-criminal-justice-bill-public-bill-committee-january-2024/): Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 the UK has taken long-needed steps to counter economic crimes including corruption and kleptocracy. This includes two Economic Crime Acts and a new Economic Crime Plan. While we welcome this important progress, the UK remains vulnerable in several critical areas. - [Submission to Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy inquiry on economic security, January 2024](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/submission-to-joint-committee-on-the-national-security-strategy-inquiry-on-economic-security-january-2024/): This joint submission with Transparency International UK focuses on three areas related to the UK’s economic security that were each set out in the Integrated Review Refresh 2023. - [Submission to the Arbitration Bill Special Bill Committee, February 2024](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/submission-arbitration-bill/): While the Law Commission ultimately decided that the balance between confidentiality and transparency is best left to the courts to address, we believe the Arbitration Bill should introduce statutory safeguards to protect arbitration from being abused to conceal corruption or fraud. - [Submission to HM Treasury’s anti-money laundering consultation, September 2023](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/hmt-consultation-aml-reform/): Spotlight on Corruption’s submission to HM Treasury’s consultation: “Reform of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Supervisory Regime” - [Submission to the House of Lords European Affairs Committee, November 2023](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/submission-lords-euro-committee/): The global sanctions response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been unprecedented, not only in terms of the scale and severity of sanctions measures that have been imposed but also the extent of international coordination and cooperation that this has entailed. The rapid expansion of the UK’s sanctions programme has not been without its challenges, but the UK government should be credited for acting at speed and under significant pressure in the early stages of the war to scale up its sanctions response. - [Submission to the Ministry of Justice open justice consultation, September 2023](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/submission-moj-open-justice/): Transparency in court proceedings is essential for us to do our work. We have therefore consistently championed the principle of open justice and advocated for greater transparency in how the courts operate. We therefore welcome this call for evidence on the way forward for open justice, and urge the government to raise the level of its ambition to tackle the current barriers of access to court hearings and information. - [Submission to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee: Post-legislative scrutiny of the Lobbying Act 2014 inquiry, September 2023](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/submission-pacac-lobbying/): Spotlight reiterates the recommendations in its previous written evidence that have not yet been implemented by the government. In addition, and in light of the government’s response to the reports by CSPL, PACAC and Boardman, Spotlight recommends that the government: - [Submission to the Victims and Prisoners Bill Committee, June 2023](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/submission-victims-bill/): We welcome the government’s aim of "delivering a cultural shift in victims’ experiences by putting their interests at the heart of the justice system". However, we are concerned that victims of complex economic and financial crime, such as corruption, are currently finding it far too hard to achieve recognition, and receive support and compensation. - [Submission the Public Accounts Committee Inquiry: Tackling fraud and corruption against government, May 2023](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/https-committees-parliament-uk-writtenevidence-120936-pdf/): This submission first examines two key areas of government activity that are particularly vulnerable to fraud and corruption: government-backed loan schemes and public procurement. - [Submission to the Procurement Bill Committee, February 2023](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/procurement-bill-february-2023/): In our view, there are several key omissions in the Bill which have the potential to significantly undermine the potential effectiveness of these important reforms. - [Submission to Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill Committee, November 2022](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/submission-economic-crime-and-corporate-transparency-bill/) - [Submission to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee: Post-legislative scrutiny of the Lobbying Act 2014 inquiry, October 2022](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/submission-to-the-pacac-lobbying-october-2022/): A series of political scandals in recent years have exposed significant weaknesses in the UK’s system for the regulation of lobbying. The UK’s standards landscape must be brought up to date to ensure that integrity and ethics in government are regulated in a way that befits a modern democracy; strengthening the Lobbying Act is a central plank of that process. Enhancing the UK’s system for lobbying would ensure greater transparency and more equal access to government, with positive consequences for public decision-making and the use of public resources. - [Submission to the Financial Services and Markets Bill Public Bill Committee, October 2022](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/submission-to-the-financial-services-and-markets-bill-public-bill-committee-october-2022/) - [Submission to the Justice Committee Inquiry: Pre-legislative scrutiny of the Victims Bill, June 2022](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/submission-to-the-justice-committee-inquiry-pre-legislative-scrutiny-of-the-victims-bill-june-2022/) - [Submission to the Foreign Affairs Committee Inquiry: Responding to illicit and emerging finance. June 2022.](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/submission-to-the-foreign-affairs-committee-inquiry-responding-to-illicit-and-emerging-finance-june-2022/) - [Submission to the Corporate re-domiciliation Consultation organized by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, HM Revenue & Customs and HM Treasury](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/submission-to-the-corporate-re-domiciliation-consultation-organized-by-the-department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-hm-revenue-customs-and-hm-treasury/): The proposed regime should not be introduced until BEIS has completed the proposed reforms to Companies House giving the register powers to query, verify and remove inaccurate company data. - [HM Treasury review into the UK’s AML/CTF Regulatory and Supervisory Regime: November 2021](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/hm-treasury-review-into-the-uks-aml-ctf-regulatory-and-supervisory-regime-november-2021/) - [Justice Committee’s Inquiry on Open Justice: Court Reporting in the Digital Age: November 2021](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/justice-committees-inquiry-on-open-justice-court-reporting-in-the-digital-age-november-2021/) - [PACAC inquiry into the Cabinet Office Freedom of Information Clearing House: September 2021](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/pacac-inquiry-into-the-cabinet-office-freedom-of-information-clearing-house-september-2021/) - [Law Commission Consultation on Corporate Criminal Liability: August 2021](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/law-commission-consultation-on-corporate-criminal-liability-august-2021/) - [Response to the Consultation on Restoring Trust in Audit and Corporate Governance: July 2021](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/response-to-the-consultation-on-restoring-trust-in-audit-and-corporate-governance-july-2021/) - [The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee: June 2021](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/the-public-administration-and-constitutional-affairs-committee-june-2021/) - [Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee: May 2021](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/public-administration-and-constitutional-affairs-committee-may-2021/) - [Consultation on transforming public procurement: March 2021](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/consultation-on-transforming-public-procurement-march-2021/) - [Consultation on the Future Regulatory Framework for Financial Services: February 2021](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/consultation-on-the-future-regulatory-framework-for-financial-services-february-2021/) - [Companies House consultation on ‘Corporate transparency and register reform: powers of the registrar’: January 2021](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/companies-house-consultation-on-corporate-transparency-and-register-reform-powers-of-the-registrar-january-2021/) - [Committee on Standards in Public Life Consultation, Standards 2: January 2021](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/committee-on-standards-in-public-life-consultation/) - [International Trade Committee Consultation on UK Export Finance: September 2020](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/international-trade-committee-consultation-on-uk-export-finance-september-2020/) - [Committee on Standards in Public Life Consultation on Electoral Regulation: August 2020](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/committee-on-standards-in-public-life-consultation-on-electoral-regulation-august-2020/) - [House of Lords Constitution Committee Inquiry into the Constitutional Implications of Covid-19: August 2020](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/house-of-lords-constitution-committee-inquiry-into-the-constitutional-implications-of-covid-19-august-2020/) - [Executive Director, Dr Susan Hawley, evidence to the Public Bill Committee on the Financial Services Bill: November 2020](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/executive-director-dr-susan-hawley-evidence-to-the-public-bill-committee-on-the-financial-services-bill-november-2020/) - [Submission to the Digital Fraud Act committee, April 2022](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/sub-digital-fraud-act-2022/) - [Future of Financial Services Inquiry: February 2021](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/future-of-financial-services-inquiry-february-2021/) - [Treasury Committee Inquiry into Economic Crime: December 2020](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/treasury-committee-inquiry-into-economic-crime-december-2020/) - [Public Bill Committee on the Financial Services Bill: November 2020](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/submission/public-bill-committee-on-the-financial-services-bill-november-2020/) ## Cases - [Eugene Shvidler: First challenge to Russia sanctions heads to UK Supreme Court](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/cases/eugene-shvidler-sanctions/): The first-ever court challenge to a designation under the UK’s Russia sanctions regime was brought in early 2023 by the dual UK-US citizen Eugene Shvidler. After losing in both the High Court and the Court of Appeal, the Russian-born businessman is now taking his case to the Supreme Court in a crucial test for the UK’s post-Brexit sanctions regime. - [Anzhelika Khan: Wife of Russian oligarch fails to shake off sanctions](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/cases/anzhelika-khan-sanctions/): In early 2024, the Russian-born British citizen Anzhelika Khan took the government to court for targeting her with sanctions on the basis of her association with her husband, the Ukrainian-Russian oligarch German Kahn. The case posed the first major challenge to the UK government’s strategy of sanctioning family members and associates who help sustain networks of kleptocratic influence, particularly where they hold significant assets for the benefit of oligarchs or other primary targets. - [Sergei Naumenko: UK minister flexes sanctions muscles with seizure of Russian superyacht](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/cases/sergei-naumenko-superyacht/): Sergei Naumenko, the wealthy Russian businessman who beneficially owns the Phi, went to court to challenge the government’s detention of his superyacht. Naumenko claimed the Transport Secretary had unlawfully exercised his sanctions powers as part of a publicity stunt to look “tough”, and argued that the Phi’s detention was a disproportionate interference with his property rights. - [Petr Aven: NCA strikes £780k deal in UK’s first forfeiture of sanctioned Russian funds](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/cases/petr-aven-nca-strikes-780k-deal/): In July 2024, the National Crime Agency (NCA) secured the first-ever permanent seizure of sanctioned assets under the UK’s anti-money laundering legislation. This forfeiture of £780,000 followed a long-running investigation into the suspected evasion of sanctions against the Russian oligarch Petr Aven. - [Mikhail Fridman: Botched raid sinks NCA investigation into suspected sanctions evasion](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/cases/mikhail-fridman-sanctions/): On 1 December 2022, a 50-strong team from the National Crime Agency (NCA) arrived at a multi-million pound mansion in North London to execute a search warrant related to its investigation of suspected violations of sanctions on Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman. - [Mikhail Fridman: Licensing challenge lifts the lid on Treasury’s approach to luxury expenses](https://www.spotlightcorruption.org/cases/mikhail-fridman-licensing/): When the UK rolled out unprecedented sanctions in response to Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, one prominent Russian oligarch decided to stay in London at a time when others left the country to put themselves and their wealth out of reach. The Ukrainian-born billionaire Mikhail Fridman was sanctioned on 15 March 2022 but continued to live at his Victorian mansion in Highgate, North London.