James Bolton-Jones
Senior Advocacy AdvisorAbout
James Bolton-Jones has private and public sector experience in investigative and policy research on corruption and financial crime. He read modern and medieval languages (French, Russian and Ukrainian) at the University of Cambridge, and has an MA in Russian and Post-Soviet Politics from UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies.
Posts by James Bolton-Jones
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Can the next UK General Election be protected from dirty money?
6 January, 2023-
Dr Susan Hawley
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James Bolton-Jones
It has long been known that existing electoral law does not do enough to safeguard UK political parties from foreign influence and dirty money. The 2020 Russia report by the...
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UK government finally commits to reforming corporate criminal liability
26 January, 2023-
James Bolton-Jones
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Dr Susan Hawley
Yesterday the government signalled it will introduce amendments on corporate criminal liability reform in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill. We strongly welcome this major development on an issue...
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Anti-corruption commitments in the integrated review refresh – do they stack up?
15 March, 2023-
James Bolton-Jones
While most analyses of the newly published Integrated Review refresh (IR2023) – which sets out the UK’s overarching national security and international strategy – have focused on defence spending and...
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No new Government investment in the Economic Crime Plan threatens delivery
30 March, 2023-
Dr Susan Hawley
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Dr Daniel Beizsley
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James Bolton-Jones
The Economic Crime Plan is a really welcome set of commitments from the government but needs to be matched by much more ambitious public investment, including in training, if the...
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The government missed a trick to fight fraud and corruption in its new Procurement Bill
20 June, 2023-
Dr Susan Hawley
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James Bolton-Jones
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Dr Daniel Beizsley
Last week, the government failed to back key amendments to the new Procurement Bill (which had strong cross-party support) that would have significantly strengthened the UK’s ability to tackle fraud...
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Briefing: Safeguarding the UK’s Electoral System from Foreign Interference
20 June, 2023-
George Havenhand
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James Bolton-Jones
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....
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Double standards: If APPGs should know the true source of their funds, why shouldn’t political parties?
20 July, 2023-
James Bolton-Jones
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...
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UK government misses key opportunities to strengthen the Economic Crime Bill
5 September, 2023-
James Bolton-Jones
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. These amendments...
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The UK must up its game on asset recovery to tackle corruption and kleptocracy
15 September, 2023-
James Bolton-Jones
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...
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Briefing: ongoing lobbying loopholes despite recent government commitments to reform
17 October, 2023-
James Bolton-Jones
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...
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How will the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act help fight corruption, and does it go far enough?
27 October, 2023-
James Bolton-Jones
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Dr Susan Hawley
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)...
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