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SubscriptionsColumn / Investigation: Crypto Politics
Dark money, lobbying, regulatory capture, state institutions hollowed by donor factions, foreign interference, and the financialisation of political power.
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Viktor Orbán is Battling the Greatest Political Crisis of His Tenure
A scandal involving a pardon to a paedophile’s accomplice has already taken down Hungary’s former justice minister, President, and the head of the Hungarian Reformed Church
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Putin’s Mission Accomplished: Alexey Navalny is Dead
Navalny’s death proves that no serious political force can challenge the Kremlin’s dictator – but it seriously undermines Russia’s image in the world
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Another New Anti-Immigration Pressure Group is Launched from Tufton Street and Met with Reams of Media Coverage
The mysterious case of a tiny new ‘think tank’ launching – and being immediately granted gullible coverage from right-wing papers
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Conservative Donor Who Won £164m PPE Contracts Admits Deleting Emails
David Meller was referred to the ‘VIP Lane’ by his long-term political ally Michael Gove
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These Elections Will be Fought Dirty and in the Shadows. VoteWatch Will Help Shine a Light
We need your help to follow the money, call out corrupt campaigning, and monitor voter suppression wherever it occurs
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Tucker Carlson Interview: Putin Reveals Inferiority Complex as He Blames Boris Johnson for Continued War
In his much-vaunted interview with the Russian leader, Tucker Carlson simply allowed Putin to repeat well-worn propaganda points. But who is Putin actually talking to?
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Third Round of Anti-Protest Laws Imposed as Civil Liberties Groups Warn of Creeping Authoritarianism
Just one day after Suella Braverman’s appeal for more stringent protest restrictions, the UK Government has unveiled a new set of anti-protest laws.
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‘It’s Like GB News Regulating Ofcom’: House of Lords Slams New Government-Imposed Strategy for Elections Watchdog
Levelling Up secretary Michael Gove now sets the overarching “strategy and policy” of the previously independent Electoral Commission.
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‘The Feudal Leasehold System That Threatens a Repeat of the Grenfell Disaster’
A blaze in a West London block of flats last week reveals how the leasehold system is still putting lives at risk, writes Labour MP Barry Gardiner
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Ten Million Voters Still Don’t Know They Need Voter ID
Rishi Sunak’s Government has been accused of trying to “gerrymander” the next general election by making it harder for certain groups to vote
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‘Straight Out of the Republican Playbook’: Conservatives Impose New Strategy on Elections Watchdog in Crucial Election Year
The new Government-set priorities for the Electoral Commission make no mention of AI or misinformation – but plenty of mentions of almost non-existent voter fraud
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Labour’s ‘Intensely Relaxed’ Approach to Bankers’ Bonuses Tells Us a Lot About a Starmer Government
The party’s U-turn on the bankers’ bonus cap comes just months after the party campaigned against scrapping it
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Dark Money Lobby Group Denies Sponsoring Liz Truss ‘PopCon’ Platform Set Up by Former Director
Popular Conservatism is registered to a company whose director used to be the Director General of the Institute of Economic Affairs
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Why Is Boris Johnson Endorsing a Second Trump Presidency in the Name of Ukraine?
Donald Trump has not stood up to Vladimir Putin and will not stand up to Russian President if he returns to the White House, writes Paul Niland
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Slow Uptake of Brits Abroad Registering to Vote – But Many Say They Will Vote to Kick Out Conservatives
Newly empowered overseas voters tell Byline Times they are ‘sick of racist rhetoric’ and Britain’s Brexit fallout.
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Two Million More Brits Living Abroad Now Eligible to Donate to UK Parties as Ministers Scrap Time Limit
It’s the latest in a series of constitutional changes by ministers – including enforcing photo ID for in-person voters and hiking the spending limits for parties.
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‘Not a Bullet for Ukraine’: The Rise and Fall, and Rise Again, of Slovakia’s Populist Prime Minister
Robert Fico rode to electoral victory for the third time on a wave of strongman populism, media capture and pro-Russia rhetoric. But are the cracks beginning to appear?
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Labour’s Andy Burnham Says Just ‘50 People Run the UK’ as Mayor Hits Out at Westminster and Sunak’s Scrappage of HS2
The Greater Manchester Mayor wants the UK to adopt a new codified constitution, proportional representation and an overhauled House of Lords
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Labour Appears to Steer Away from Fully-Elected House of Lords Despite Cronyism Scandals
The Shadow Minister for Democracy also hits out at voter ID – but it is still unclear if Labour will scrap it
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Keir Starmer Faces an Immediate Test of His Pledge to ‘Crackdown on Cronyism’
The Labour leader’s decision to make restoring trust in public life the centre piece of his election campaign, raises questions about his own record
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The Mone Scandal Shows New Laws Around Offshore Ownership Aren’t Working
New legislation designed to limit the activities of Russian oligarchs seems to be more honoured in the breach than the observance
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‘Those Who Enjoyed the Post-1945 Social Progress of the West Were Made Complacent By It: We Forgot Its Price is Vigilance’
AC Grayling explores the factors that have driven the rise of ‘illiberal democracy’
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COVID Cronyism and Mone – The Tip of the Iceberg: Byline Times’ Full Story of the PPE Cash Carousel
Byline Times has been unravelling the dealings behind the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the UK since the very early days of the pandemic. Here’s what we learnt – and what we still need answers to…
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Revealed: Westminster Staff’s Second Jobs
Andrew Kersley takes a close look at the register of interests for Members’ Secretaries and Research Assistants and finds some have surprising other roles
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Michelle Mone’s Lawyer Distances Himself from Baroness’ Claim She Lied to the Press on his Advice
A lawyer acting for the lawyer of Baroness Michelle Mone told Byline Times it would be defamatory to suggest David McKie ‘knowingly represented a false position’
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Government Accused of “Destroying” Independence of UK’s Election Watchdog as New “Priorities” Imposed on Electoral Commission
The Government is now able to steer the strategy and focus of the UK’s elections body.
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Respected Health Professionals Feel ‘Duped’ into Appearing in Michelle Mone PPE Documentary
A film about the PPE scandal did not declare to some contributors it was being funded by a company that won £203 million in Government PPE contracts
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UK’s Politics Now Wide Open to Foreign Donations, Peers Warn, as Government Scraps Time Limit on Brits’ Donations from Abroad
Swing seats could be decided by Brits living in Moscow or Iran following changes to election rules
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‘One of the World’s Most Cyber-Attacked Nations’: Parliamentary Report Confirms Russian Interference Attempts in UK Elections – and Slams Braverman’s Inaction to Prioritise ‘Stopping the Boats’
The former Home Secretary showed no interest in urgent threats to the UK as the National Security Strategy Committee reveals that Vladimir Putin made attempts to interfere with the last General Election
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UK’s Next General Election is Wide Open to Foreign Interference, Corruption Watchdog Warns
The Conservatives have made Britain’s elections more exposed to risky foreign donations, according to Spotlight on Corruption
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Government Defends Hereditary Peers Even as Aristocrats Evade Vetting and Titles Go Entirely to Men
There are still 91 hereditary peers voting on our laws – and they face even less scrutiny than those appointed for life.
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Pressure for a Windfall Tax on Banks Grows As ‘Big Four’ Net Huge Profits
Four of the biggest banks in the UK amassed £41 billion in pre-tax profits in the first nine months of the year alone.
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Outcry as Government Proposes Letting Brits ‘Vouch’ for Overseas Voters’ Identities – While Denying Same Chance for In-Person Voters Who Lack ID
There are fears lax rules could allow unfettered cash to flood in to UK politics from abroad
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Government Refuses to Expand List of Accepted Voter IDs Despite Thousands Being Turned Away From Polls
More than 100,000 voters could be turned away at the next General Election according to one forecast
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Government Challenged Over Massive Hike to Election Spending Limit Which is Set to Benefit Conservatives
The change means parties will now be allowed to spend over £30m in order to win a General Election
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‘The Price of Democracy in the UK has Just Gone Up Massively: The Conservatives Once Again Set the Rules to Benefit Themselves’
Increasing the amount political parties can spend on general elections is another warning sign for British democracy
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Revealed: Britain’s Broken Election Laws Just Got Even Worse
The Government has made it even easier for dark money, foreign influence, and the proceeds of crime to bankroll British politics
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‘The Brexit Effect on Health and Social Care Must Be Pragmatically Addressed’
We need to forge alliances to continue our global health leadership, writes the director of the Independent Commission on UK-EU Relations
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First Past the Post Voting System Barrier to Urgent Action on Climate Crisis, Major Environmental Groups Say
Climate-conscious voters are locked out by our ‘winner-takes-all’ electoral system, a new report finds
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Demand for Investigation into David Cameron’s Appointment as Foreign Secretary Given Lobbying and China Links
The new Foreign Secretary and peer was involved in one of the biggest lobbying scandals of recent years
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‘Lies, Damned Lies and Strategic Lies’
Ivor Gaber examines the technique of repeating untruths for a particular gain and how to counter it
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‘Stability and Strong Government? Not with this Merry-Go-Round’
If the UK’s First Past the Post electoral system can’t deliver its supposed advantages, why we are continuing with it?
