9. 👀 The new PM will have a lot on his plate, but with fraud affecting large swathes of the public, and accounting for at least 44% of all reported crime, there is huge pressure on the new administration to urgently take forward Fisher’s recommendations.

"Friends don't produce better PPE than strangers." Spotlight's Kamila Kingstone was on BBC Radio Scotland this morning to discuss the UK Covid-19 Inquiry's report on the VIP lane - why it should never be repeated, and the reforms still needed to prevent the next procurement scandal.

Could you bring expertise in fundraising, finance or anti-corruption to our Board? We're looking for new Trustees to help shape our strategy and support our work. If you're ready to help defend democracy and challenge corruption, we'd love to hear from you. eastsidepeople.org/vacancy/spot...

🚨 The Covid Inquiry has today published its report into PPE procurement, including the notorious VIP lane. VIP firms were 13x more likely to get contracts, costing 80% more, yet 3x more likely to supply unusable PPE. Minister’s must introduce reforms that ensure this never happens again.

It is deeply concerning when politicians seek to weaponise the issue of ethics and integrity to claim that legitimate investigations by established regulators are in fact illegitimate attempts to silence them.

1. Ahead of the Ethics & Integrity Commission's lobbying report this week, we're calling for fair public access to government. Why? Just as an example, our research shows 92% of Department for Business & Trade meetings between 2023-24 were with businesses - just 2% with not-for-profits.

A 13-year investigation. A five-month trial. An acquittal. We forensically examine the case against former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, & what her dramatic acquittal reveals about the UK's ability to tackle grand corruption, & the lessons that must be learned.

“There’s no point having laws if they aren’t enforced”. Spotlight’s Executive Director, @suehawley.bsky.social tells MPs on the HCLG Committee that the @electoralcommission.org.uk needs proper funding, resources and the enforcement appetite to make the Representation of the People Bill work.

@suehawley.bsky.social talking about the foreign interference landscape in UK politics, the need for the AML regulated community to be brought into the fold and the rise in impermissible donations that have had to be returned by parties at the HCLG committee on Tuesday.

@suehawley.bsky.social giving evidence at yesterday's HCLG Committee oral evidence session, about why the ban on crypto political donations should not be lifted until & unless the Electoral Commission, key committees and parliament approves a robust regulatory framework.

Spotlight's Executive Director @suehawley.bsky.social is quoted in the @financialtimes.com on the UK government's reported plans for a new "golden visa" scheme. As Sue warns, this would shred any claims that the UK’s is serious about tackling dirty money. Read more:
 www.ft.com/content/7ec3...

🚨 New data from Spotlight on Corruption’s Anti-Corruption Tracker shows prosecutions for corruption, money laundering & fraud all rose in 2024-25. But bribery enforcement remains weak, & the professionals who help move dirty money still rarely face any accountability. Read more: bit.ly/4vW7M03

1. 🚨 BREAKING: Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s former oil minister, has been acquitted of bribery charges, following a decade long corruption investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) 🧵 www.reuters.com/world/africa...

1. 🚨 In a big win for open justice, a Judge has ruled that 19 former execs at Ultra Electronics who were linked to the Serious Fraud Office's bribery investigation can be publicly named, after an anonymity challenge we spearheaded with media & civil society partners www.law360.co.uk/articles/248...

Essential questions here from UK Anti-Corruption Champion Baroness Hodge. As Hodge notes, the reform to make the FCA the money laundering supervisor for lawyers and accountants will only work if it has the right powers & resources, and if OPBAS* is empowered to oversee a smooth transition.

Nigel Farage and Lee Anderson have made more than £1 million from GB News while serving as MPs, according to a new @desmog.com investigation. Spotlight's Kamila Kingstone is quoted in the piece, warning that huge outside earnings raise questions about whose interests MPs are representing.

1. 🪖 Today’s Public Accounts Committee report on the Ministry of Defence’s tackling of economic crime and misconduct reveals alarming failures to protect and recover taxpayer money. 🧵 committees.parliament.uk/committee/12...

1. 😬 The Solicitors Regulation Authority has been ordered to pay up to £515,891 to foot the bill for Dentons – the world’s largest law firm. 🧵 caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ewca/civ/202...

1. 💪🏻 V welcome to see Sir Laurie Magnus – Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards – flex his muscles in policing the revolving door yesterday with his Grant Shapps letter – but the rules he has to police are hopelessly inadequate & need a major overhaul 🧵 www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...

1) 💥 NEW: It's very encouraging to hear the Justice Secretary David Lammy recommit to tackling SLAPPs – abusive legal tactics used by the rich and powerful to silence critics – but much more urgency is needed in delivering on this promise. 🧵

1. It is very welcome that the Enhancing Financial Services Bill in the #KingsSpeech will provide the legislation needed to strengthen our defences against dirty money in the UK.

Excellent piece in @desmog.com, highlighting concerns about Nigel Farage amassing £2m in private earnings since becoming an MP. But it's not just about Farage - this is a system-wide issue that badly needs to be reformed. www.desmog.com/2026/05/06/n...

1. 🪙 The first donations to a British political party from a memecoin mark a watershed and perilous moment. Political memecoins and crypto tokens pose incredible risks to the integrity of our democracy for which the UK appears wholly unprepared... 🧵 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

🚨The MPs' code of conduct clearly shows that this £5m donation should have been declared to parliament straight after Farage was elected. But beyond this is the wider question of why the UK is still allowing limitless money into our election campaigns... 🧵 www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

💰Gold is no longer simply a financial asset or commodity. It has become a strategic vehicle for organised crime, sanctions evasion, corruption, and political control. Its high value, portability, and suitability for money laundering attract criminal and corrupt actors.

.@opendemocracy.net raises questions about access & influence around Keir Starmer’s top business adviser & links to Hakluyt. Spotlight’s Kamila Kingstone says it shows how blurred the lines are between private interests and gov - & why stronger transparency & conflict-of-interest rules are overdue.

Whether it's dodging tax, smuggling gold, or laundering drug money, corrupt actors and criminals rely on professionals to move, hide, and access their illicit wealth overseas. With key moments ahead - including the global Illicit Finance Summit in June - the message is clear: it’s time to act.

“Today’s revelations that No10 put the Foreign Office under pressure to put – not just one – but two political allies into key diplomatic roles points to a very concerning ‘jobs for mates’ culture and a deeply cavalier attitude to conflicts of interest..."

NEW from @desmog.com - Nigel Farage has personally accepted at least £675k from foreign governments, companies & donors since becoming an MP. But this isn’t just about one politician. It’s about gaping holes in the UK’s rules on foreign money & political influence. www.desmog.com/2026/04/18/n...

📝 Great to see a letter from our director @suehawley.bsky.social published in @theguardian.com today, which highlights the findings of our new ‘Credible Deterrence’ report and the extent to which the enforcement of political finance laws in the UK has plummeted 📉 bit.ly/41E5Hsz