Daniel Bruce

Iranian tycoon ‘amassed £150m property empire for Ayatollah’s son’ Ali Ansari is alleged to have bought mansions and apartments in London on behalf of Mojtaba Khamenei, frontrunner to become supreme leader

Iran’s political leaders have invested heavily in UK real estate in recent years. Lawyers, estate agents and banks should have formed our first line of defence against illicit wealth arriving here, but it appears to have been breached repeatedly.

📺 "𝙋𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙣'𝙨 𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙟𝙤𝙮𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙢𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙥𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙚𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙑𝙄."

Steff Aquarone MP from the @appgonacrt.bsky.social on the British Overseas Territories enabling the flow of dirty money.

Ending offshore secrecy is critical to stopping Russian influence.

More ⤵

Head of Police Federation of England and Wales arrested on suspicion of corruption Mukund Krishna arrested by City of London police along with two other national board members

High-profile arrests by the UK’s (relatively) new Domestic Corruption Unit at City of London Police.

#AntiCorruption

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

🚨 𝗔 𝗪𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 🚨

Four years after the independence of the Electoral Commission was curtailed, the Government has listened & will end Ministers' ability to influence our elections watchdog.

🎉 This is a significant & welcome step in protecting our elections from interference.

Now is the time to fix UK politics’ pernicious big money problem…

Taking Big Money Out of Politics Key proposals for political finance reform

Later today, MPs will debate the UK Government's planned reforms to elections and campaign financing. Lots to welcome, but there is an elephant in the room. We are calling for a cap on donations to take big money's influence our of our politics. See our briefing, and please do share:

Taking Big Money Out of Politics Key proposals for political finance reform

🆕

"In 2015, only 1 per cent of private donations came from companies and individuals giving £1 million or more; by 2024, this had risen to 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱."

New research from @rosewhiff.bsky.social & @stevejgoodrich.bsky.social on the super rich's growing influence on UK politics.

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*Love* this video from @transparencyuk.bsky.social - what a compelling case for taking big money out of politics.

And who is that devilishly handsome Irish chap talking such sense in Parliament half way through 🤣

🎥 BIG MONEY IS CORRUPTING OUR POLITICS 🎥

UK politics has a big money problem 💷

The super-rich use money to buy honours, influence and access to power. It erodes trust in our politics and undermines our democracy.

The UK needs a cap on donations to end big money in our politics.

More below ⤵️

Sanctions on Georgian propaganda channels "only the beginning" say Transparency International UK

Good to see new sanctions from the UK’s Foreign Office, joining the dots between state capture dismantling democracy in Georgia and the enablers of the Kremlin internationally projected propaganda.

Successive UK governments have avoided taking bold measures that are sorely needed to rebuild trust in politics.

In this febrile moment of scrutiny of various failures in public standards, surely now would be a good time to act.

www.transparency.org.uk/news/when-co...

#AntiCorruption #UKPolitics

Russian firms have routed $8bn of trade through British island territories since invasion of Ukraine Anti-corruption group Transparency International have catalogued ‘sanctions circumvention’ channelled through ‘unaccountable jurisdictions’ Russian companies have used Britain’s secretive island territories to conduct $8bn (£5.9bn) of trade since the invasion of Ukraine, according to a report that highlights the flow of goods ranging from oil-drilling equipment to luxury yachts linked to Moscow’s political elite. The analysis, published a day after the fourth anniversary of Russia’s assault on its neighbour, raises questions over the role played by the British overseas territories in enforcing sanctions designed to turn the screw on the Kremlin. Yachts linked to allies of Vladimir Putin. Drilling kit for Kremlin-backed oil projects. Coal linked to Ukraine’s pro-Russian ex-president. A jet linked to the Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov. Continue reading...

Russian firms have routed $8bn of trade through British island territories since invasion of Ukraine

📺 "It takes more than warm words to actually rebuild trust. It takes definitive action."

Our Chief Executive Daniel Bruce joined Ian Collins and Clark Vasey on Talk TV to discuss the arrest of Peter Mandelson and how we rebuild trust in politics.

This is the @channel4news.bsky.social investigation just mentioned in the debate this afternoon in the House of Commons on the appointment of the then Prince Andrew as Special Representative for Trade and Investment:

🗣️"If the UK is serious about confronting Russian kleptocracy, it must finish the job at home."

Mia Paukovic, Coalition Manager at @ukanticorruptioncoalition.org, on the critical gaps that allow dirty money from Russia to infiltrate the UK.

Full statement below ⤵️

Transparency International UK respond to the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Any proven abuse of a senior public role for private ends, financial or otherwise, is corruption that erodes public trust in our institutions.

🗣️ "Any proven abuse of a senior public role for private ends, financial or otherwise, is corruption that erodes public trust in our institutions."

Read our full statement on the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
www.transparency.org.uk/news/transpa...

🎥 "It's not part of the job of a trade envoy to be setting up meetings for American financiers".

@duncanhames.bsky.social speaking with @channel4news.bsky.social last week on why an investigation is needed into the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor/Epstein revelations.

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🎦 MONEY TALKS 🎦

Yesterday, the Government introduced a bill aiming to stop foreign money influencing British elections.

The problem, though, isn't where the super-rich are from, but that money - from here and abroad - can buy access to power and influence.

More from @duncanhames.bsky.social ⤵️

They haven’t heard you yet.
Please add your voice you this call:

🗣️"The problem isn’t just about where the money comes from, but how much can be given and what may be expected in return.”

Rose Zussman spoke with Max Kendix at The Times on how the Government's new proposed laws won't stop a small group of mega-rich UK donors influencing our politics.

More ⤵️

The Government’s elections bill is necessary but not sufficient to tackle the corrosive influence of money in politics. The new law claims to safeguard our democracy yet does little to address a longstanding and ever-present threat.

🆕 BLOG

The new law to safeguard our democracy does little to address a longstanding and ever-present threat.

As the new elections bill is published, @stevejgoodrich.bsky.social argues that more must be done to tackle the influence of money in politics.
www.transparency.org.uk/news/governm...

Corruption and murder of journalists. Transparency International. Corruption Perceptions Index 2025.

Since 2012, 150 journalists have been killed for reporting on corruption outside of war zones. Almost all of them died in countries with high levels of corruption.

Check out the full #CPI2025 results here: anticorru.pt/3gK

📺 "All we've seen from successive governments now is just tinkering in the margins [on restoring trust in politics] "

As #CPI2025 scores the UK at an all time low @danieljbruce.bsky.social joined Petrie Hosken on Talk TV to discuss how repeated political scandals erode public trust.

Revealed: Corporate donations to British politics have tripled Influential Labour committee chairs call on government to clean up politics as our new analysis finds record £42 million in company donations ahead of last election

🔴 Exclusive: Corporate donations British parties tripled over last three elections

But here's key thing: almost none is from FTSE500/listed companies

It's almost all companies controlled by super-wealthy individuals, or small, opaque firms

New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/revealed-c...

📺 "What we see in today's score is growing concern about political corruption risk in the UK."

Last night @danieljbruce.bsky.social joined Petrie Hosken on Talk TV to discuss this year's Corruption Perception Index and why the UK has received it's lowest ever score in the #CPI2025 tracker.

Image quote: "At a time of climate crisis, instability and polarisation, the world needs accountable leaders and independent institutions to protect the public interest more than ever – yet, too often, they are falling short. We’re calling on governments and leaders to act with integrity and live up to their responsibilities to provide a better future for their citizens." - Maíra Martini. CEO, Transparency International

"At a time of climate crisis, instability and polarisation, the world needs accountable leaders and independent institutions to protect the public interest more than ever" - @mairamartini.bsky.social, CEO of @anticorruption.

Check out the #CPI2025 results here: anticorru.pt/3gD

Public faith in politics is now in the gutter. Here’s how Labour should drag it out | Polly Toynbee With Britain sliding down the index of transparency and voters angry, the looming election bill fails to confront the real issues, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

💥 Great piece from @pollytoynbee.bsky.social echoing our calls for real reform to restore trust in politics.

As today's #CPI2025 result shows, this persistent decline is not a temporary blip - it risks becoming a defining feature of our political culture.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

📽️ 1/ Today, Britain dropped to its lowest placing in @anticorruption.bsky.social's global Corruption Perceptions Index.

🚨 Our Chair @philbrickellmp.bsky.social says this "must serve as a wake-up call for the Government."

@transparencyuk.bsky.social

That continues a worrying trend for the UK over the last decade.

@anticorruption.bsky.social cited record political donations from super‑rich backers, cash‑for‑access politics, aggressive lobbying & shrinking space for protest, journalism & people-powered campaigns the UK's downgrade... 2/3