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 (IRR23):
- Economic crime and its threat to the UK’s economic security.
- Ensuring financial sanctions are an effective economic deterrent.
- Defending UK democracy from interference by bad actors.
Tackling economic crime to strengthen economic security (one of three “priority areas of vulnerability” facing the UK) formed part of the IRR23, with government committing to end London’s role as a “centre for corrupt elites to launder money”. The IRR23 also announced a new Economic Deterrence Initiative to bolster economic security, which seeks to counter hostile acts including by “cracking down” on sanctions evasion.
The third priority area of vulnerability in the IRR23 alongside energy and economic security was the resilience of our democratic institutions, including their resilience to “corruption and influence”. Given the high risk of bad actors donating to political parties in order to interfere with our democratic processes, and the intersection this has with economic security, we believe this is another key area for the Committee to consider.
To read the full submission, use the link below.