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TRANSPARENCY
INTERNATIONAL UK - Work with the UK govenment, parliamentarians and
civil society to tackle corruption at home and address the UK's global
corruption footprint.
Britain has a corruption problem. Its troubling role as a hub for dirty money from around the world, red flags over the corrupting influence of money in politics and big business bribery scandals show the UK is not immune.
From the revolving door between the public and private sector to the awarding of multi-million-pound government contracts, the abuse of power for private gain reaches the highest levels of the UK society.
It undermines our institutions and economy. It weakens our democracy with the most vulnerable, often the ultimate victims.
THE VITAL NEED FOR REFORM
Despite recent legislation, Britain remains a safe haven for much dirty money. Legal loopholes mean that the world’s corrupt, enabled by highly paid UK lawyers and accountants, can still launder their ill-gotten gains through the UK’s economy and property market.
Meanwhile, it has become increasingly common for Ministers and MPs in the UK to break their own rules and flout their own standards. Lawmakers turned lobbyists for hire, questionable donations to political parties and standards watchdogs ignored are among the most blatant examples.
It was little surprise that the UK fell to its lowest-ever position in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index as news of these scandals travels around the world.
WHAT THEY DO
According to their website Transparency International expose and tackle
corruption and hold power to account in the UK through robust research,
investigations and advocacy. To do that they need to understand the way
corruption works and the systems that enable it.
Their work has already been key to delivering:
- four major pieces of Economic Crime legislation making it harder for dirty money to find its way to the UK
- the introduction of a register to reveal the true owners of foreign companies owning property in the UK
- The Bribery Act - regarded as the toughest piece of legislation of its kind
- Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs) – an investigative tool to help law enforcement act on corrupt assets
- promised reforms to lobbying transparency and regulation of post-political appointments
With your support they work with the UK and devolved governments, the private sector and civil society to create a UK free from corruption.
WHY CORRUPTION MATTERS
Corruption erodes trust, weakens democracy, hampers economic development and further exacerbates inequality, poverty, social division and the environmental crisis.
Exposing corruption and holding the corrupt to account can only happen if we understand the way corruption works and the systems that enable it.
Corruption is perhaps best described as a malign force which perpetuates poverty, sows insecurity and robs the world’s most vulnerable people of desperately needed public services. It can manifest in many forms, from criminal acts like bribery, extortion and embezzlement to highly questionable, but sometimes legal practices like nepotism, patronage and cronyism.
Most corruption takes place in the shadows, away from the prying eyes of public scrutiny, and this sometimes makes its precise impact difficult to quantify. But pick any country in the world, a representative democracy, a one-party state or a military dictatorship, and you’ll find a common thread: they’re all grappling with problems with corruption.
Exposing corruption and holding the corrupt to account can only happen if we understand the way corruption works and the systems that enable it.
THE UK'S ROLE IN CORRUPTION
Here in the UK, people often assume that corruption is not a problem.
But our politics has been plagued by various corruption scandals in recent years, whilst much lobbying of government remains in the shadows and big money is used to promote vested interests. The UK, as a global financial hub, plays a pivotal role in the international movement of illicit funds.
Our country's legal framework and reputation for financial integrity make it an attractive destination for dirty money.
This can have devastating consequences for developing countries, undermining their economic growth, democratic institutions, and social stability.
By understanding the UK's role in corruption, we can work together to strengthen our laws, improve transparency, and combat the illicit flow of funds.
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