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Spotlight on Corruption

@spotlightcorruption.org
24K followers 832 following 1.9K posts

Shining a light on the UK's role in corruption at home and abroad linktr.ee/endcorruptionuk

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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 24/09/2026
💷 With the Financial Conduct Authority due to take over anti-money laundering supervision of the legal profession from 2028, this is an issue that lawmakers urgently need to address.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 24/09/2026
🛡️ The SRA is seeking permission to appeal. But the judgment also makes clear that it’s up to Parliament to decide whether regulators should have these powers - and put them beyond doubt, with proper safeguards for legal privilege.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 24/09/2026
𓂃🪶 The judgment turns on the wording of the legislation, but its implications are much wider. Without access to this material, the SRA faces a major gap in its ability to investigate potential wrongdoing by lawyers, including suspected anti-money laundering breaches and abusive litigation conduct.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 24/09/2026
⚖️ On Monday the High Court ruled that the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) does not have the statutory power to compel disclosure of legally privileged material when investigating alleged professional misconduct. Our latest blog looks at the implications of this major ruling.
spotlightcorruption.org
High Court ruling exposes major gap in powers to investigate misconduct by lawyers
The High Court rules against the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) following a major challenge by Carter-Ruck and Mohamed Amersi to the regulator’s investigative powers.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 22/09/2026
2. The Representation of the People Bill currently going through Parliament presents an opportunity to tackle foreign interference, big money in elections, and lobbying in the shadows. Watch the full video on the @instituteforgovernment.org.uk YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjnV...
youtube.com
Does the UK do enough to guard against corruption in public life?
YouTube video by Institute for Government
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 22/09/2026
1. Speaking at an @instituteforgovernment.org.uk event last week, Spotlight's @kamilakingstone.bsky.social explained why the govt needs to act to stop a small number of wealthy individuals having disproportionate influence over our politics.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 21/09/2026
6. Spotlight calls for Parliament to legislate and expressly provide the SRA with this power, as well as the Financial Conduct Authority, which will be taking over supervision of the legal profession's compliance with anti-money laundering rules. www.spotlightcorruption.org/government-s...
spotlightcorruption.org
Government sets out its plan for making the FCA the super-regulator for money laundering - Spotlight on Corruption
As the  government lays out its plans for a major expansion of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) anti-money laundering (AML) supervision responsibilities, we look at how these proposals can be s...
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 21/09/2026
5. Spotlight on Corruption has previously covered the challenge, outlining why these powers are crucial for the effective regulation of the legal sector. www.spotlightcorruption.org/legal-regula...
spotlightcorruption.org
High Court set to rule on legal regulator’s investigatory powers
The High Court is set to rule on a defining challenge to the powers of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) after London libel firm Carter Ruck and British businessman Mohamed Amersi contested wh...
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 21/09/2026
4. This comes after London libel firm Carter-Ruck and their former client, businessman Mohamed Amersi, challenged the SRA, arguing that the legal regulator could not view legally privileged material without a waiver from the client who holds the privilege.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 21/09/2026
3. The judge ruled that the legislation relied on by the SRA was not "compellingly clear" that privilege could be overridden by the SRA, and noted that it was ultimately for Parliament to decide whether it would be desirable for the legal regulator to have the power it has until now assumed.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 21/09/2026
2. Today’s judgment found that the SRA does not have power to compel the disclosure of legally privileged material during its investigations into alleged professional misconduct by lawyers.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 21/09/2026
1. The High Court has ruled against the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) following a major challenge by Carter-Ruck and Mohamed Amersi to the regulator's investigative powers. 🧵
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 18/09/2026
2. The Representation of the People Bill currently going through Parliament presents an opportunity to tackle foreign interference, big money in elections, and lobbying in the shadows.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 18/09/2026
1. Speaking on an @instituteforgovernment.org.uk panel yesterday, Spotlight's @kamilakingstone.bsky.social explained why the government needs to act to stop a small number of wealthy individuals having disproportionate influence over our politics.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 17/09/2026
4. 𓊍 Read the government’s anti-money laundering and asset recovery strategy.
gov.uk
Anti-money laundering and asset recovery strategy: 2026 to 2029
How the government will strengthen the UK's response to money laundering and recover more criminal assets.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 17/09/2026
3. 📈 But it’s not all good news. Despite the 20% increase in asset recovery, the amount reinvested into law enforcement increased by just 3% – meaning law enforcement and local communities are not seeing enough benefit from their increased efforts.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 17/09/2026
2. 🪎 This welcome ambition comes after a treasure trove of asset recovery statistics released last week revealed that overall recoveries hit £345.3 million in 2025/26. This is over 20% more than 2024/25 and reflects growing gains through bank account forfeitures and civil recovery.
gov.uk
Asset recovery statistics: financial years ending 2021 to 2026
Six year data snapshot of asset recovery for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and data on the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 17/09/2026
1. 🧺 The govt’s new money laundering strategy puts asset recovery at the heart of its fight to stop criminals moving, hiding & profiting from their ill-gotten gains. Here’s our take on what’s needed to ensure the strategy will deliver a step change in recovering the proceeds of crime & corruption.
spotlightcorruption.org
Increasing asset recovery shows investment in tackling dirty money pays off
The government’s new AMLAR Strategy makes welcome commitments to tackling dirty money, but real impact will require sustained investment. A greater share of recovered assets should be reinvested throu...
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 16/09/2026
7. ⚖️ The government’s promised new vision for public participation is an opportunity to get this balance right. 📖 Read what we said earlier this year, when the government’s first set out their plans: www.spotlightcorruption.org/the-governme...
spotlightcorruption.org
The government’s plans for consultations could threaten public trust in politics - Spotlight on Corruption
The government’s plan to raise the bar for including consultation requirements in legislation is a risky move that could threaten public trust in politics.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 16/09/2026
6. 📜 Good government needs both effective delivery and good engagement. Consultation should be part of how government makes better decisions, not something it feels it has to endure.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 16/09/2026
5. 👂 When only 4% of the public think that politicians do what is best for the country, and 72% feel powerless to influence decisions affecting their lives, this is the time to listen to people wanting to get involved in policy making. yougov.com/en-gb/articl... carnegieuk.org/blog/can-we-...
yougov.com
Do Britons think politicians are out for themselves?
67% of Britons feel politicians primarily act out of self-interest, while just 4% see them as doing what is best for their country
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 16/09/2026
4. 🤝 That means making consultations accessible, reaching a wider range of people, involving stakeholders in shaping them, and being transparent about how responses influenced the final decision.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 16/09/2026
3. 💊 Public consultation is an important part of a healthy democratic process. It gives people and organisations affected by government decisions a chance to contribute, improve proposals and flag problems before they become costly mistakes.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 16/09/2026
2. ✅ The government is right that consultations should not become a box-ticking exercise. But the answer to meaningless consultations is to make them meaningful.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 16/09/2026
1. 🏃The government has said it “will strip away needless 'box-ticking' consultations as part of a drive to accelerate decision-making and deliver real change at pace”. www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
‘Box-ticking’ consultations scrapped to speed up delivery
The government will strip away needless 'box-ticking' consultations as part of a drive to accelerate decision-making and deliver real change at pace.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 16/09/2026
3. 🕵 More of the dirty money recovered should be put back into the agencies tasked with finding it - and given back to the communities it was stolen from in the first place. Read the government’s anti-money laundering strategy: www.gov.uk/government/p...
gov.uk
Anti-money laundering and asset recovery strategy: 2026 to 2029
How the government will strengthen the UK's response to money laundering and recover more criminal assets.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 16/09/2026
2. 📈 But the ambition needs sustainable funding. Asset recovery was up 20% last year, but the amount reinvested into law enforcement increased by just 3%.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 16/09/2026
1. 💷 The government’s first ever anti-money laundering and asset recovery strategy is a welcome step forward. Read our press statement: www.spotlightcorruption.org/press-statem...
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 12/09/2026
5. We urge everyone from whatever political party to use the opportunity of scrutiny in the House of Lords of the Representation of the People Bill to take urgent steps to set a cap on donations to protect our democracy.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 12/09/2026
4. In choosing not to set a donation cap, the government is ignoring the very high risk of the Americanisation of our politics.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 12/09/2026
3. It also creates incentives for parties with that amount of money to exploit the many gaps in our campaign spending rules to shape public narrative in favour of their political agenda.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 12/09/2026
2. When a political donation from one person to one party is more than the entire annual campaign budget of other political parties this is not a level playing field, but creates risks that the game will be rigged in favour of those with the most cash.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 12/09/2026
1. Game-changing political donations like this have the potential to have a huge and damaging impact on UK democracy. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Christopher Harborne matches £36m Reform donation of Ben Delo
Party leader, Nigel Farage, says he is humbled by the contributions from cryptocurrency billionaires
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 11/09/2026
Congratulations! Very well deserved!
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 11/09/2026
Want hands-on experience of major corruption and economic crime cases? Our Legal Fellow will attend court hearings across England and Wales, monitor proceedings and research cases. One-year contract. London-based. Deadline: 13 September. www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/spotlig...
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 10/09/2026
6. 👊 Working with the APPG on Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax and colleagues at @transparencyuk.bsky.social and @unlockdemocracy.bsky.social, we will continue to hold the government accountable on lobbying transparency reform.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 10/09/2026
5. ⬇️ You can read our submission to the Ethics and Integrity review here: www.spotlightcorruption.org/lobbying-rev...
spotlightcorruption.org
Lobbying review: an opportunity not to be missed  - Spotlight on Corruption
The government’s lobbying review is a rare chance to fix a transparency regime that has fallen behind international standards. Our submission calls for a comprehensive lobbying register, tougher enfor...
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 10/09/2026
4. 🦵 This is all very promising and welcome of course, but we’ve seen lobbying transparency reform kicked into the long grass too many times before. As Joe Powell said today, this is vital to “cleaning up our politics” after a series of seemingly endless scandals.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 10/09/2026
3. 🗣️ Cabinet Office Minister @markfergusonmp.bsky.social also responded that the government would respond to the findings of the EIC’s report “as soon as we can”. Ministers previously committed to respond to EIC reports within a target of 6 weeks, so the clock is ticking for response by mid Oct… ⏰
committees.parliament.uk
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 10/09/2026
2. ✅ Joe Powell raised the landmark report published by @ethicsandintegrity.bsky.social, which adopted several of the recommendations that we and other civil society partners made, to give the system the overhaul it desperately needs. eic.independent-commission.uk/publication-...
eic.independent-commission.uk
Publication of Lobbying, Business Appointment Rules and Disclosure Report | Ethics and Integrity Commission
The Ethics and Integrity Commission promotes the highest standards in public life, reports to the Prime Minister on matters concerning ethical standards, and advises public authorities on the developm...
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 10/09/2026
1. Welcome news today: in response to a question from @joepowell.bsky.social, Cabinet Office minister @markfergusonmp.bsky.social recognised that our threadbare & outdated lobbying transparency regime “isn’t good enough” and reveals that the government is looking at legislative options for reform. 🧵
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 10/09/2026
"...But this only heightens the stakes for the Serious Fraud Office as they seek to land these prosecutions at a hotly contested trial. This prosecution will be a key test of the agency’s strategy and strength going up against white-collar defendants with deep pockets.”
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 10/09/2026
Helen Taylor, Deputy Director at Spotlight on Corruption: “We rarely see senior executives in the dock to account for allegations of corporate wrongdoing, so this plea is a major milestone in one of the biggest bribery investigations of the last decade...
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 10/09/2026
📢BREAKING: Two former senior executives of Glencore have pleaded ‘not guilty’ to bribery charges at a court hearing this morning, setting the scene for a hotly contested corruption trial in 2027 which will see Serious Fraud Office take on former top bosses & oil traders at the commodities giant.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 09/09/2026
The Met Police has launched an inquiry into allegations that Reform UK broke electoral law. We welcome the investigation. But the govt must also use its elections bill to strengthen penalties for electoral finance offences. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 09/09/2026
Calling aspiring lawyers who want hands-on experience in the courts. Our new Legal Fellow will follow major corruption and economic crime cases across courts and tribunals . London-based. Deadline: 13 Sep www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/spotlig...
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 08/09/2026
We're hiring a Legal Fellow! This one-year fellowship is an opportunity for an aspiring barrister or solicitor to gain practical legal experience & specialist policy expertise in the fight against corruption and economic crime. London-based. Deadline: 13 Sep. www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/spotlig...
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 04/09/2026
The next few months now present a vital, but narrow window for the government to prove it is serious about putting in place a robust enforcement regime to protect our democracy from foreign interference and dodgy money ⏳
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 04/09/2026
This is the cost of doing business for the largest political parties raking in millions in donations. 💷 💷 💷 Instead, we have proposed that the Electoral Commission should be able to fine up to 4% of the value of a political parties’ campaign spending or £500,000 – whichever is higher.
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Spotlight on Corruption @spotlightcorruption.org · 04/09/2026
The Representation of the People Bill plans to raise the maximum fine that the Electoral Commission can issue for breaches of the rules from £20,000 to £500,000. But this would equate to just 1.7% and 2.1% of the campaign spending of the Labour and Conservative parties at the last General Election.
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